


27 Dresses

by BeccaAnne814



Series: Bucky Barnes x Reader Series [6]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, alcohol consumption, cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 15:53:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 25,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11444133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeccaAnne814/pseuds/BeccaAnne814
Summary: You are the epitome of "always a bridesmaid, never a bride."  You think you know what love is, but sometimes you can't see what's right in front of you.   Bucky Barnes x Reader AU





	1. Chapter 1

_You were standing at the back of the church, your white gown flowing around you as your dad walked toward you. The smile on his face and the tears in his eyes told you how much he loved you without him having to say a word. He extended his arm and you looped yours through, the other hand holding the bouquet of pale pink calla lilies, cream colored roses, and minty grey succulents._

_The doors of the church opened and all of your friends and family rose as the string quartet began playing Pachelbel's Canon in D. Your sister was a vision in the cream colored dress she had chosen to wear as your maid of honor, her vibrant red hair complimented by the soft, subtle hue. Your best friend, Wanda, was right beside her in a beautiful shade of pink. You had chosen to alternate your bridesmaids in shades of cream, pink, and grey to match the bouquets you each held._

_As you walked down the aisle, your eyes eventually found the reason why you were here that day. Him. The love of your life. The man of your dreams. Steven Grant Rogers. He was absolutely dashing in his light grey tux. He was smiling at you as though you were the only woman in the world. Your heart swelled along with the music as you grew nearer to him._

_Wanda suddenly appeared in front of you waving her hands to get your attention. You were confused. Why would she be interrupting you wedding day like this?_

 

"(Y/N)!" Wanda hissed, her hands waving in your face. "You're doing it again!"

"Huh?" you asked, shaking your head to clear your thoughts. "What's going on?"

"You were staring at Steve again," she chided. "You had that faraway look in your eyes."

"Sorry," you apologized. "I was lost in a daydream."

"Why don't you just tell him how you feel?" she asked. "You never know, maybe he feels the same way."

"Wanda," you began. "We've been over this a million times. He barely knows I exist. I can't risk making a fool of myself. Or worse, getting fired for hitting on my boss!"

"If you keep looking at him like that," she warned, "He'll figure it out eventually."

"(Y/N)!" Steve called from his open office door. "Can you come in here for a moment?"

You quickly grabbed your notebook and pen and rushed to his office. "What can I do for you, Steve?"

"I've got a huge favor to ask," he began. "I know this is above and beyond your job duties, but I'm in a pinch. Would you please run over and pick up my dry cleaning? I'm leaving in the morning for my trip and I won't have time to pick it up before they close"

"You use the place on 27th, right?" you asked as he nodded in affirmation. "It just so happens I was headed there anyway. There's this really awesome Chinese place next door. Would you like me to pick you up something for lunch while I'm out?"

"(Y/N)," Steve gushed. "You are a dream. I have no idea what I would do without you."

 

 

There was a really great Chinese place next to the dry cleaners, but it was all the way across town, not a place you would ever go to for lunch on a regular day. You knew you indulged Steve too much, but maybe one day he would actually see you as more than his personal assistant.

It took you over an hour to find a cab, get across town, order lunch, pick up the dry cleaning, pick up your take-out order, and then find a cab back to the office. You had resigned yourself to eating at your desk while you finished your work for the day. Not ideal, but it was for Steve, so you didn't mind.

You placed your lunch on your desk and made your way to Steve's office. You hung his dry cleaning up on the coat rack and handed him the bag of take-out. "I made sure they gave you plenty of soy sauce."

"Thank you so much, (Y/N)," he said as he opened the bag. "Got any plans for the weekend?"

"One of my best friends, Amberly, is getting married tomorrow," you replied.

"That reminds me," he mumble around a bite of egg roll. "I've been meaning to talk to you about my friend, Bucky. I think the two of you would really hit it off."

Your heart sank at his words. First of all, you hated that the mention of a wedding reminded him of the fact that you were still single. Second of all, he was trying to fix you up with his friend. This was a nightmare.

"I'm sure Binky is a great guy," you began.

"Bucky," he corrected. "He's actually going to. . ."

"Steve," you interrupted, a sad smile on your face. "I appreciate you thinking of me, but I'm good. I'm great actually. You don't have to worry about me."

"I do worry about you, (Y/N)," he said. "You work too hard and you don't take any time for yourself. It wouldn't be the end of the world to let someone else take care of you for a change. Any guy would be lucky to have you."

Any guy but you apparently. You nodded your head in acknowledgement of his words before you turned and walked out of his office. The tears you had desperately been trying to hold back were starting to fall. You made your way to the bathroom, your lunch completely forgotten in your despair.

Wanda saw the look on your face and followed you to the bathroom. By the time she made it there, you were a blubbering mess, your mascara hopeless smeared as you let your heartbreak have free reign. She didn't say a word as she gathered you in her arms, her hands rubbing your back as you sobbed.

"He's trying to fix me up with his best friend," you sobbed. "He said any guy would be lucky to have me. I don't understand. Why doesn't he want me?"

"Oh, honey," Wanda consoled. "He's an idiot, that's why. One of these days, he's going to realize what was right in front of him the whole time and he's going to be so sorry."

You pulled away from her embrace and began wiping your eyes. Wanda pulled her make-up case from the drawer in the sink vanity, handing you some concealer and mascara. You did the best you could with what little make-up you had available and made your way back to your desk. You kept your back to Steve's office, avoiding any more interaction with him, only mumbling a quick goodbye as he left for the day.

 

 

You made it through the wedding rehearsal that night, only because Wanda was in the wedding with you. She made sure that you had a glass of wine in your hand the minute the rehearsal dinner began. 

The next morning you were too busy to even think about Steve with all the last minute preparations and mini disasters to thwart. It never failed that something would go wrong on the big day. This wedding was no different. The florist had mistaken a commercial freezer for a refrigerator and all of the flowers for the wedding had been ruined. You had rushed to the nearest florist and bought every single rose and peony they had. The arrangements weren't exactly what Amberly had chosen, but they would do. Hopefully she would be too caught up in the excitement of the day to really notice.

 

Amberly had chosen a Disney themed wedding, her wedding dress styled after Belle's yellow ball gown. The rest of the bridesmaids had been allowed to choose whichever princess they wanted. You had gone with Jasmine, simply because you loved her teal two-piece ensemble.

The rest of the wedding went by in a blur. Other than the snafu with the flowers, everything went smoothly. You had made sure that the photographers were in the correct spots for the bouquet toss and the cake cutting. Once the standard wedding traditions had been seen to, your duties as the maid of honor were officially over. 

You made sure that Amberly and Peter were enjoying themselves on the dance floor before you made your way to the bar. You definitely needed a drink right now. 

The bartender looked up with a wicked smile as you approached. You knew you looked good in the somewhat revealing outfit you had chosen for this night. He was definitely a looker himself; thick, dark brown hair and brilliantly blue eyes. The white dress shirt did nothing to hide his muscular physique. It was a shame you had a thing for blondes.

"I've been dying to get over here all night," you told him as he sliced up some limes and placed them in a small container. "I've heard so many wonderful things about you and your unique talents."

His eyes grew larger as his smile spread even further across his face. "I've heard some pretty wonderful things about you as well."

"Just to let you know," you began. "You and I are going to get to know each other extremely well tonight."

Your words had a tinge of pink creeping up his neck as he struggled to concentrate on cutting the lime. "Is that so? Wh-what exactly did, uh, you have in mind?"

"Ohhhh," you purred as your tongue darted out to lick your lips, your teeth dragging across the bottom one as you thought. "The possibilities are endless. I don't even know where to start with you."

He suddenly put down the knife as he wiped his hands on the short white apron hanging low on his hips. "You're serious."

"I never joke when it comes to certain desires," you teased with a wink, as you leaned down, resting your arms on the bar. "Okay, I've made up my mind. I'm thinking we should start with Sex on the Beach."

"S-sex," he stuttered as his eyes darted down to the exposed cleavage your position had revealed. "On the beach? Right now?"

"Of course right now," you laughed. "I'm the maid of honor in a wedding. You have no idea how stressful that can be. All I can think about right now is relieving some of this tension and I desperately need you to help me with that."

"Who am I to deny you what you need?" he asked as he started walking toward the edge of the bar.

"The Vodka's that way, sweetie," you said, pointing in the opposite direction he was moving.

"Vodka?" he asked, his brows knitted in confusion. 

You started laughing as you straightened up again. "It's kind of hard to make Sex on the Beach without Vodka."

"Sex on the Beach," he repeated. "Yes, I make an excellent Sex on the Beach."

"So I've heard," you replied as he began mixing the drink. "Like I said, you're reputation proceeds you. That's why I convinced my friends to hire you as the bartender in their weddings for the next few weekends. You and I are going to become really good friends."

He finished making the drink and handed it to you. "Wait. You're not the maid of honor in all of those weddings, are you?"

You took a sip of your drink and moaned in pleasure. "Everyone wants the best. You and I just happen to be the best at what we do."

"So I've heard," he acknowledged.

"I'll be seeing you again soon, James" you promised as you flicked the nametag on his shirt and turned to walk away.

"Bucky," he whispered to your retreating back. "My name is Bucky."


	2. Chapter 2

Steve had been gone on his business trip all week long, so at least you didn't have to face him after that last blow to your ego. You were an attractive woman, even the bartender from the wedding thought so. Steve may not have been there, but he was always on your mind. Wanda would catch you glancing at his empty office every now and then throughout the week.

"You need to get laid," she announced after the fifth time she caught you staring at the closed door with a dreamy look in your eye.

"What?" you questioned. "How could you even suggest that?"

"You need something or someone to get your mind off of Steve," she clarified. "Your sister will be here in a few. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to drag you to a club to meet some random, hot stranger."

"You're right about that last part," you agreed. "But I'm not going to have a one-night stand in the hopes of forgetting about Steve."

"What about me?" Steve asked as he came around the corner of your desk.

Humiliation coursed through you as you wondered how much of the conversation he had overheard.

"(Y/N)'s sister is coming to visit," Wanda began. "She's actually on her way here right now. We were just talking about how it'll be nice for the two of you to finally meet."

Steve's eyes grew large and he started to smile as he remembered something. "Speaking of finally meeting someone. . ."

Steve had stopped speaking right in the middle of his sentence and was staring at something behind you. You took a cautious glance over your shoulder to see what had drew his attention.

"(Y/N)!" your sister shouted as she exited the elevator and started toward you.

Suddenly, you understood what had caught Steve's attention and interrupted his train of thought. Your sister was definitely a knock-out. She was a model in Europe and everything about her screamed "sex!" From her pouty lips to her svelte figure, she was every man's dream. Apparently, she was now Steve's idea of the perfect woman.

Nat stopped just before she got to you, her attention drawn to your boss standing beside you. "You must be the Steve I've heard so much about."

At the sound of his name, Steve came out of the trance he'd been in for the past few seconds and extended his hand. "(Y/N) was just telling me about you. She failed to mention how beautiful you were."

You stood there completely frozen. Your sister and the love of your life had completely forgotten that you were there. You could almost see the little red hearts floating around their heads like in the cartoons. This was not happening. There was no way that this could be happening to you.

Steve and Nat continued talking and flirting while you just stood there. It was like watching a car wreck. You knew you shouldn't look, but you just couldn't tear your eyes away. Wanda had finally had enough and cleared her throat loudly. Steve and Nat stopped talking and turned toward the two of you, the looks on their faces revealing the fact that they had completely forgotten that you were still there.

"(Y/N)," Nat began. "You never told me that Steve and I had so much in common!"

You hadn't been paying attention to their conversation, so you had no idea what she was talking about. She was giving you that look though, the one where she's begging you go along with what's she's saying. Being the good sister, you did exactly that.

"I guess it just never came up," you hedged. "Did you have a nice flight?"

"It was dreadful, as always," Nat complained. "The plane was so crowded and there were babies crying. I couldn't get any sleep. Don't even get me started on the food. Ugh! I'm starving!"

"You've got another wedding this weekend, don't you (Y/N)?" Steve asked, excitement in his eyes.

"Yeah," you confirmed. "I actually have two tomorrow night."

"That means two rehearsals tonight, right?" he questioned not waiting for an answer. "Since you're going to be tied up, why don't I take care of Natasha this weekend? I can take her to some of my favorite vegan restaurants and show her around the city a bit."

"Vegan?" you asked. "Nat isn't. . . ."

"Isn't the kind of person who says no to such a lovely offer," she interrupted shooting you a dirty look.

Realization dawned on you at that moment. She had told Steve that she was vegan as well. That's what she meant about having so much in common with him. You started to seethe with anger at the thought of your sister lying to him to get him to ask her out. Steve definitely didn't deserve that, especially from your sister!

"It's no trouble at all," Steve assured. "Listen, I just stopped by to check on things, but I'm sure (Y/N)'s keep this place running smoothly. Why don't we go ahead and grab something to eat now?"

"That sounds amazing!" Nat gushed. "(Y/N), you don't mind taking my luggage back to your apartment for me. I'd hate to make Steve make a special trip when you're heading that way anyway."

"Sure thing, Nat," you said to your sister's back. 

She and Steve had already started toward the elevator, not waiting for your answer. She had her arm looped through his and was staring up at him with doe eyes. He seemed to be just as smitten with her. You continued to watch them as they reached the elevator, your sister giving you a small wave as the doors closed on all of your hopes and dreams.

Wanda wrapped her arm around your shoulders and gave you a squeeze. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I know this sucks, but maybe it's for the best."

"For the best?" you hissed, breaking free of her embrace and falling back into your office chair. "How is this possibly 'for the best?' She's already lying to him and he doesn't have a clue! You know how Natasha is with men. She's going to eat him alive like the black widow she is!"

"She's not that bad," Wanda argued, half-heartedly as she sat in her own chair and rolled closer to you. "Okay, she's that bad, but Steve's a big boy. He can take care of himself."

"No he can't!" you disagreed, panic beginning to rise up inside of you. "That's why he has me! I take care of him! I make sure his appointments are scheduled, that he gets to the dentist every six months, that he calls his mother on her birthday, and that he has. . . everything!"

"Honey, calm down," Wanda advised. "You're getting yourself worked up and you have a really busy weekend ahead of you. How you're going to manage two weddings at the same time, I'll never know. But I do know you can't do it while you're in full freak-out mode."

"You're right," you admitted. "This is a huge weekend for Chanel and Nicole. They deserve all of my attention right now. I'll just have to wait until next week to figure out this mess with Steve and Nat."

"Look on the bright side," Wanda suggested. "That cute bartender, James, is going to be at Chanel's wedding. Maybe you can take him home with you and then you'll forget all about Steve."

"What is it with you and Steve?" you asked throwing your hands in the air and then running them through your hair. "He's trying to get me to go out with that Blinky guy and now you're suggesting I screw James the bartender!"

"You never do anything for yourself," she countered. "It wouldn't kill you to be a little selfish every once in a while and do something that makes you feel good."

"That may be true," you admitted. "But it's not going to be with Blinky or James."


	3. Chapter 3

Nat had left her luggage in the lobby with the doorman, who was kind enough to help you load it into the cab. Of course your sister had to have three huge suitcases for a week-long visit. Getting it out of the cab and into your apartment was another matter altogether. You lived in a four story walk-up and naturally your apartment was on the top floor. It took you almost thirty minutes to haul all three pieces up the stairs. You were hot and sweaty by the time you were finally able to collapse on your couch. 

You sat for a few minutes, catching your breath before you checked the time on your phone. You had a brief moment of panic when you noticed how late it had gotten. You rushed into the bathroom to grab a quick shower before changing and hailing a cab. You barely made it to Nicole's rehearsal, and you silently cursed your sister for her selfishness. 

You went through the rehearsal once and then made a mad dash ten blocks down for Chanel's rehearsal. You were able to make it in time for her second run through. Then it was back to Nicole's for the dinner. You ate your salad and made small talk with the people at your table before quietly excusing yourself.

You ate the main entrée at Chanel's dinner, making the same small talk with a different group of people. Then it was back to Nicole's for dessert and more small talk. By the time you made it back to Chanel's for cocktails, you were exhausted and you had run out of things to talk about. Both girls had been thrilled that you could juggle both weddings so well, and it really did make you happy to be there for them on their big days.

By the time you made it back to your apartment, you were ready to crash. You made your way through the quiet apartment, completely forgetting about your sister in your exhaustion. You had just slipped out of your dress when your phone beeped.

You pulled it out of your bag and checked the screen. The message that awaited you had your heart sinking.

"Hey sis! Don't wait up, I won't be home tonight! Love ya!"

You collapsed on your bed, screaming into your pillow. This was not happening to you. What did you ever do to deserve this? You rolled over, trying not to cry, as you hugged the pillow to your chest. Stress and exhaustion finally caught up with you and you fell into a fitful sleep. Thankfully you had set an alarm for the next morning.

 

 

You were even more dejected as you walked into the living room the next morning. The couch was empty, so you knew Nat really hadn't come home last night. You couldn't stop the myriad of images that ran through your mind. You had always imagined what it would be like with Steve and now instead of you in those fantasies, it was your sister.

You made a cup of coffee and shook your head to clear your thoughts. You did not have time to worry about this today. You pulled up the calendar on your phone to check your schedule for the day. You had brunch at 9:00 with Chanel's bridal party, a nail appointment at 11:00 with Nicole's bridal party, followed by lunch. Then it was hair with Chanel's at 1:00, and make-up with Nicole's at 3:00. Chanel had pictures scheduled for 4:00 and Nicole's were at 5:00. Chanel's ceremony was starting at 6:00 and Nicole's was at 7:00. 

You had been instrumental in planning the day for both girls, so while it was a busy day, you had allotted yourself enough time to get from one venue to the other. The hardest part was going to be changing from one dress to the other in between ceremonies. Chanel was going with a Country chic theme which included designer dresses paired with cowboy boots, hats, and jean jackets. Nicole had gone with a Medieval Renaissance theme with full corseted gowns and jeweled headbands with veils that matched the color of your dresses.

In between the first set of photos at 4:00, you had hailed a cab. The guy behind the wheel seemed to be a nice guy so you offered him a proposition; you would pay him $400 cash for the entire night if he would agree to drive you back and forth from the two weddings and not look in the rear view mirror.

He turned around to look at the stack of twenty dollar bills that you were holding in your hand. "What exactly are you up to tonight, or do I even want to know?"

"I'm in two weddings tonight and I need reliable transportation back and forth between them. Can you do that for me. . ." you paused to read his name off of the license displayed on the back of the seat. "Clint?"

"For four hundred dollars," he answered. "I'll do anything you want."

You gave him the address for Nicole's wedding as you started to change into the Medieval dress. As you were lacing up the corset you noticed Clint taking a peek in the mirror. "It's down to $380!"

"Sorry, sorry!" He exclaimed, his eyes focusing on the road once again. "Won't happen again, kid."

 

 

James had tried to catch your eye once the wedding party entered the reception hall at Chanel's, but you were just too busy making sure everything stayed on schedule. You didn't notice the way his eyes kept coming back to you as you flitted around making sure everyone and everything were exactly where they were supposed to be. You didn't notice how he almost spilled a drink he was mixing when your dress rode up a little bit on your thighs as you reached for the bouquet flying your way. You definitely didn't notice how large his eyes grew as you shook your booty to the line dance routine you had choreographed for the wedding party. You were so busy checking your schedule you didn't notice him coming out from behind the bar as you rushed out so Clint could take you back to Nicole's reception.

In your hurry to make it to the cab, you missed James calling out your name as he followed you into the street. You definitely didn't realize that he was watching, mouth agape, as you stripped in the back of cab.

The entire night, you went back and forth, making sure that each of the brides felt as though their wedding was important to you. You had arranged for a horse drawn carriage to take Nicole and Killian to their hotel. Nicole had almost cried when she saw the snowy white horses, and she enveloped out in a hug as she thanked you again for a magical night. Once Nicole and Killian had said their final goodbyes and departed for the evening, you made one last trip across town. Clint had been wonderful, except for that first trip, so you ended up giving him the full $400. He thanked you and gave you his number in case you ever needed an exclusive cab for the evening again.

As you were gathering your Medieval gown and various tote bags, you tripped on the curb, falling backward into a pair of strong arms.

"Easy there, doll," James teased as helped you regain your balance.

You looked up into those beautiful blue eyes and for a moment you were completely mesmerized. "Thank you, James."

"I've got to ask," he began as he pulled the veil from your head with a confused look. "What on Earth have you been doing tonight?"

"I had two weddings tonight," you explained as he placed his hand on the small of your back and led you back into the reception hall. "Both of them are such dear friends, and I just couldn't say no to either of them."

"You take this wedding business seriously," he remarked.

"It's the most important day of their lives," you continued, your back growing warm under his touch. "It's not that big of a deal to make sure that they get exactly what they've always dreamed of."

"What about you?" He asked as you two came to the door leading into the party. "When do you get what you've always dreamed of?"

The smile that had been on your face all night long suddenly fell away as you remembered that the love of your life was currently out on another date with your gorgeous sister, doing who knows what. "One of these days, perhaps. And when that day comes, my friends will be there for me, just like I was there for them."

"Well," he drawled. "I might actually know of a guy that would be more than happy to try to make those dreams come true for you."

You rolled your eyes at him as you walked back into the loud room already looking for Chanel and T'Challa. "Not you too! Why does everyone keep trying to set me up? I promise, I'm more than capable of finding Mr. Right all by myself."

"I'm not too sure about that, doll," he whispered as you walked away from him yet again. "Not too sure at all."


	4. Chapter 4

Nat didn't make it back to your apartment until well after noon on Sunday. She was all smiles and dreamy eyes as she went into more detail about her dates with Steve than you wanted to know. You tried to tune her out as you started making your mother's homemade red sauce for dinner that night. 

Every now and then you would say "mmhm" or "okay," just so that she wouldn't think you were completely ignoring her, which you were. It wasn't until she said your name loudly that you realized she had caught on to your charade.

"I'm sorry," you apologized. "What were you saying?"

"I was telling you that I thought I might end up staying longer than a week," she huffed.

"Longer than a week?" You repeated, almost dropping the spoon you were using to stir the sauce in the floor.

She sighed dramatically, resting her chin in her hands as leaned on the island in the middle of the kitchen. "Steve is so wonderful, and I think we may actually have something. I haven't felt like this in so long."

"If things are going that well, don't you think it's about time you came clean with him?" You asked.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, confusion knitting her brows together.

"I don't know," you snapped at her. "How about the fact that aren't vegan?"

"Oh, that!" She waved you off. "That's not important, and anyway, I can live without meat and cheese."

"Is that so?" you asked. "Then I guess I'll be eating all of this lasagna by myself."

"Stop being so dramatic, (Y/N)," Nat chided. "I can still eat whatever I want when Steve's not around."

"That's not the point, Natasha!" you yelled. "The point is that you're lying to him and he's not going to be happy when he finds out."

"Pfft," Nat blew you off. "What he doesn't know won't hurt him. It's not like he's ever going to find out that I'm not vegan or that I could care less about that annoying kid he keeps going on about."

"Phil?" you asked. "Phil is the greatest kid in the world. He looks up to Steve like he's some kind of superhero."

"Steve is more than welcome to hang out with the brat when I'm busy doing something else," Nat told you. 

"Arrrghh!" you screamed. "You are the most selfish human being I've met!"

"Chill out, (Y/N)!" Nat screamed right back at you. "This is none of your business! I didn't come all this way to visit you, just to have you yell at me! If this is the way you're going to be, then I'm not staying here!"

You stood at the stove, your mouth hanging open as Nat grabbed her designer bag and stormed out of the apartment. As if to make sure you had gotten the hint, she slammed the door as hard as she could behind her.

You let out the breath you'd been holding and leaned over on the counter, your head resting on your arms. How had this situation gotten so out of control? You hated being stuck in the middle of this. You knew you should tell Steve that Nat was lying to him, but your sister would hate you. If you didn't say anything, Steve might get mad enough to fire you once he found out the truth. You had no idea what you were going to do.

 

 

Nat hadn't come back to the apartment, but it wasn't until Monday morning that you found out that she had gone to Steve's. Nat hadn't told him much, just that the two of you had argued and she didn't want to stay with you anymore. 

Steve had seemed really embarrassed about the situation, desperately trying to stay neutral. It was killing you that you couldn't talk to him without feeling guilty, so you spent the week avoiding him as much as possible.

Nat had shown up on Friday afternoon, a small pastry box in her hands. She sheepishly walked up to your desk, an uncertain smile on her face.

"I've been talking to Steve," she began.

"You finally told him the truth?" you interrupted.

"Not exactly," she hedged. "We've been talking about you."

"What!?" you hissed. "Why have you been talking about me?"

"Steve doesn't like that we're not talking," she explained. "He thought it would be a good idea for me to come by and try to make amends."

She held out the box toward you. You gave her one of your 'I'm not convinced you're really sorry' looks. You looked down at the box and with a huff, you took it from her. Opening it up, you found a slice of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake. Nat knew it was your favorite and that you wouldn't be able to resist.

You closed the lid and set the box on your desk. "Nat, I really appreciate the gesture, but we both know that this isn't going to solve our problem."

"I knew you couldn't just accept my apology and move on," she complained. "My relationship is just that. Mine. You have no business telling me how I should live my life."

"Steve is my friend," you began.

"No, he's your boss," she shot back. "And he's my boyfriend, so stay out of it!"

Nat didn't give you a chance to reply before she turned and marched straight into Steve's office. You watched as she ran into his arms. Steve's smile faded as he listened to her speak. You saw his expression shift into concern and then anger as he looked up to catch your eye. Nat was obviously filling his head with more lies and you couldn't take it anymore. You grabbed your things and made your way to the elevator.

 

 

This weekend was Roo's wedding and you didn't have time to worry about Nat and Steve. They were both adults and they would have to figure this out on their own. You just hoped that you could survive the fallout when it blew up in their faces.

Roo was what you might call a "wild child." She and Tony were all about living life on the edge, one adrenaline rush after the other. It came as no surprise to you that she had opted for a Goth themed wedding. Since you'd known her, she'd been obsessed with vampire lore and the macabre.

Some of the other bridesmaids had opted to dye their hair black, but you decided a wig would be a better option. You also didn't want to deal with the black nail polish, so you went with press on nails. Roo's dress was a mix of black and what Tony referred to as "Hot Rod Red." Your dress was all black with a red velvet cape in the same shade as Roo's.

The ceremony was more like a funeral, very somber with the haunting melodies played on the organ. It was very fitting for the mood you were in at the moment. You felt as if any chance of happiness had died since Nat came into town.

You plastered a smile on your face and made sure that Roo was the happiest bride in the world, but once she and Tony started partying, you quietly sneaked away and made your way to the one place you wanted to be tonight.

James had been waiting for you, and he had obviously picked up on your mood. He didn't say a word, just handed you a salt shaker and a shot of Tequila. After you threw it back, he traded you the shot glass for a lime. You signaled him for another and he so graciously obliged.

You sat at the bar, downing shot after shot while James filled the drink orders for the rest of the guests. You had started sneaking extra shots when his back was turned, so it wasn't long before you were completely wasted. You knew you should be mingling and pretending to have a good time, but with each shot you took, the more depressed you became. You watched as Roo and Tony danced together, so obviously in love. You wanted that so badly, but Nat had swooped in and stolen any chance you might have had.

"Do you want to talk about it?" James finally asked after the reception started dying down. 

"I dunno what you talking 'bout," you slurred as you tried to focus on James' face.

"You're drunker than I thought," he observed as he filled a glass with water and handed it to you. "Drink this."

You took the glass from him and chugged it all. "S'water. Why'd ya give me water?"

"I don't want you to get alcohol poisoning," he answered as he refilled the glass and made you drink it.

"No more, 'm gonna hurl," you complained with a groan. 

James grabbed a towel and ran some water over it before pressing it to the back of your neck as you lay with your head on the bar. You mumbled what he thought was a thank you. He brushed the dark hair of your wig off of your face, tucking it behind your ear.

You vaguely heard a conversation going on as you dozed on the bar. You had almost fallen asleep when you heard your name. You focused all of your energy on the muffled voices.

"(Y/N)'s really drunk," a female voice observed. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine," you heard James answer. "I'm almost done packing up my stuff. I'm going to make sure she gets home."

"That's really sweet of you," she replied.

You lifted the damp towel off of your neck and slowly sat up. The dizziness had started to subside, but you still didn't feel all that great. You wiped your face with the cloth as you watched James finish packing up the bar.

"You ready to talk about it?" he inquired.

"You really don't want to hear about my problems," you answered as you leaned over the bar to refill the water glass.

"I'm a bartender, (Y/N)," he teased. "It's in my job description. Now spill it."

"It's my sister," you finally admitted. "She came into town last week and stole the man I'm in love with."

"You're in love?" he asked.

You were too busy trying to stay balanced on the bar stool so you didn't notice how he tensed up at your words or the way his voice cracked as he asked the question.

"Yep," you replied before taking a sip of the water. "I've been in love with him for five years, not that he has a clue."

"And your sister knows this?" he asked, his back still turned as he continued to pack up the remaining liquor bottles.

"No," you confessed. "She just thinks he's my boss."

"Your boss," he repeated. "You're in love with Steve?"

If you hadn't been so drunk, you might have caught onto the fact that you hadn't mentioned Steve's name. At this point, you were barely able to string two sentences together, so you didn't question him.

"Steve," you sighed. "He's so perfect, but he doesn't know I exist. Well, he knows I exist, he just doesn't see me like that. Did I tell you he's been trying to set me up with his best friend, Bunky?"

"Bucky," James corrected, but you were too far gone to catch on.

"I'm sorry. Bucky. Who names their kid Bucky?" you asked with a sneer, taking another drink of the water.

"It's a nickname," he clarified as he started stacking to boxes on a rolling cart.

"That's even worse," you hiccupped. "All I can imagine is some freckly, red-head with huge buck teeth. Definitely not my type."

"You won't know he's not your type until you meet him," he suggested as he loaded the last box onto the cart and walked back over to you. "Maybe you should give the guy a chance. He might surprise you."

"Maybe you're right," you conceded. "Maybe I need to forget about Steve and find somebody else."

"That's a great idea," he agreed. "Which means I have a confession to make. I'm actually Bu. . . "

You didn't let him finish his sentence. Grabbing his tie, you pulled him toward you, silencing him with a kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

James was an amazing kisser. He was surprised at first, but when you nipped at his bottom lip, he let out a moan and cupped the back of your head with his hand, pulling you closer to him. The bar was still separating the two of you and you were ready to climb over it to get to him.

James suddenly pulled away from you and you opened your eyes to find him looking at you with an unreadable expression on his face. He still had his hand on the back of your neck, so you were close enough to feel the heat radiating off of him. You tightened your grip on his tie, trying to bring that delicious mouth back to yours, but he placed his hand over yours and shook his head.

Frustrated, you let go of him and sat back down on the bar stool. He straightened his tie and ran a hand through his thick hair. Dropping his head he let out a breath before he looked back up at you, shaking his head and grinning. He ran his teeth over his bottom lip and it was all you could do to stay in your seat.

"As much as I enjoyed that," he began, running his hands through his hair again. "And let me be clear about it, I enjoyed that a lot. You're really drunk and not in a good place right now. I couldn't take advantage of you like that."

"Really?" you asked. "You've got to be kidding me! I finally decide to do something for me, and I have to pick the one guy in the whole city that has a conscience!"

"I'm sorry that I don't want to have sex with someone who just told me that she's in love with my best. . ." James stopped mid-sentence, his eyes darting to yours in what seemed like fear. 

Your mind was still cloudy from all of the tequila, so his train of thought was completely lost on you. "Go ahead! By all means, please finish your sentence."

"I'm just saying that it's not every guys dream to come in second place," he finally explained. "You're obviously in love with another guy, and sleeping with me isn't going to change that."

"Are you serious right now?" you asked. "I'm not proposing marriage. It's just sex."

"I'm not interesting in just having sex with you, (Y/N)," he explained. 

It took you a minute to comprehend what he was trying to tell you. "Oh. I'm not. . . I mean, I don't. . ."

James placed his hands over yours. "It's okay. You need some time to process. I can wait."

You sat there in shock trying to figure out how you ended up in this situation. James was talking to his assistant, gesturing to the boxes as he handed him a set of keys. He turned back to you, a sexy grin on his face when he saw you sitting there like deer in the headlights.

"Nick is going to load up the boxes and drive the van back to his place tonight," he explained as he walked around the bar to where you were sitting. "I'm going to get us a cab and make sure you get home alright."

"That's really sweet of you, James," you began as you started to stand up. "But I can get home by myself. You don't have to worry about me."

You had stood up too quickly and a sudden wave of dizziness washed over you. James' arms wrapped around your waist, catching you before you fell to the floor. He pulled you closer to him, his right hand reaching up to brush the black strands of wig out of your face.

"Obviously I do," he observed as he started guiding you out to the sidewalk.

He hailed a cab and helped you into the backseat before shutting the door and walking around to the other side. You gave the driver your address before leaning your head back and closing your eyes. You had just fallen asleep when the cab stopped and James gently nudged your shoulder, telling you that they were at your apartment.

He swiped his credit card through the reader on the back of the seat and got out of the cab. You had just opened the door when he appeared before you, helping you out of the taxi. He kept one arm wrapped around you as you walked up the stairs to your doorway. 

James took your bag and rummaged around until he found your key. He opened the front door and guided you to the stairwell within the building. 

"What floor, doll?" he asked.

"I'm at the top," you replied.

He hung his head and let out a soft snort of laughter. "Of course you are. Come on, let's go."

You barely made it up the first flight of stairs. You kept losing your balance and James' grip kept getting tighter trying to keep you steady. You stopped at the landing and leaned over to take off your pumps. Without the heels, you were a bit steadier and the two of you were able to make it to the fourth floor without any further mishaps.

James used your key to unlock the door to your apartment. His arm dropped from around your waist as you started to walk in. You stopped and turned toward him.

"I think I'm going to make some coffee," you told him. "Would you like to join me?"

"Coffee?" he asked hesitantly. "That's it?"

"I promise," you assured him. "Just coffee."

"Fine," he agreed. "But I'm making it. I don't trust you with hot liquids right now."

He followed you into the apartment, pausing to lock the door behind him. You led him to the kitchen area and slowly hoisted yourself onto the bar stool by the island. You pointed James toward the cabinet with the coffee filters and he began brewing the coffee.

He turned back toward the island and leaned against it, his arms resting on the top. "How much of this are you going to remember in the morning?"

"I drank almost an entire bottle of tequila," you told him. "I probably won't remember a thing."

"Even more reason why I'm not sleeping with you tonight," he teased as he ran his fingers down the side of your face. 

The coffee pot behind him started gurgling as it finished brewing. James turned back toward the counter as you told him where to find the mugs. He filled two of them and brought them back to the island.

"I prefer cream and sugar in mine," you informed him.

"Not tonight, doll," he argued. "You need it at full strength to help with the killer hangover you're bound to have in the morning."

You thought about it for a second before agreeing with him and taking a tentative sip of the ridiculously strong brew. You couldn't control the grimace on your face as the bitter coffee hit your tongue. You gave him an evil look as you continued to force the nasty beverage down your throat.

Once James was convinced that you were starting to sober up a bit, he took the mugs and rinsed them out, leaving them in the sink. He came around the island and helped you down off of the stool.

"I think it's time we get you to bed," he announced as he started walking you out of the kitchen.

"You sure you don't want to join me?" you asked him one more time as your hand found its way to his backside, giving it a small squeeze.

James jumped in shock as he gave you a dirty look. "As tempting as that is, I'm going to have to respectfully decline. I'll take a raincheck if you ever decide you want to do this when you're sober."

You shrugged your shoulders as you guided him toward your bedroom. He stopped just inside of the doorway, watching as you pulled the wig from your head and laid it on the dresser. You started to unzip the back of your dress and he averted his eyes.

"What is that?" he inquired, his gaze focused on the end of the hallway outside of your bedroom.

"What are you looking at?" you asked.

"This closet," he clarified as he walked down the short hallway. "The doors won't even shut. What do you have in there?"

He started to pull the doors open as you ran past him, throwing yourself against the doors to stop him. You turned back toward him, your back still against the straining doors.

"Nothing," you evaded. "There's absolutely nothing in here."

"You're lying, (Y/N)," he accused. "You're hiding something in there and I have a feeling it's something that I need to see. Come on, just a peek?"

"Fine," you huffed as you pulled open the doors. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

The doors opened to reveal a closet full of dresses. Not just any dresses. Some of the most hideous and outlandish dresses he'd ever seen.

"Do you have some kind of fetish I need to know about?" he asked as he ran his fingers over the sequined material of one of the dresses.

"I told you when we first met that we were both really good at our jobs," you reminded him. "I'm the best at being the Maid of Honor. These are the dresses I've worn in those weddings."

"(Y/N)!" he shouted. "There's like 50 dresses in here!"

"There's not that many!" you argued. "Well, to tell you the truth, I don't know how many dresses are in here."

"I've got to see some of these," he begged. "Please

"Fine," you agreed. "Which one?"

He took a moment to consider before pointing to the teal sequined one he had been playing with earlier. You pulled it from the closet and held it up. It was a two-piece number, the top was purple and looked like clam shells and the bottom was styled like a mermaids fin.

"That looks like. . ." he began.

"The Little Mermaid," you finished for him. "My friend Ryanne was obsessed with that movie so we had an underwater wedding at the aquarium. I had to learn how to scuba dive for that one."

"Can I see it on you?" he tentatively asked as he ran a finger down the side of your arm.

You looked at him for a moment before deciding. "You know what? I haven't worn these dresses since the weddings, so why not? Go make yourself comfortable on the couch, I'll be out in a second."

It started with one dress and before you knew it, you were holding your very own horrible bridesmaid fashion show. Each dress was worse than the one before. James had pulled his phone out and was taking pictures of each ridiculous dress.

After the mermaid dress, you came out in the one you wore for Kerri's wedding. She had gone through a Victorian phase around the time of her wedding, so you had worn an elaborate ball gown, complete with a bustle that made your butt look three times its size.

You quickly went back to the closet to find something else even more outlandish. You ran your hands over the multitude of dresses, memories of those weddings coming back to you in waves. Finally deciding upon one, you dashed back into your bedroom to change.

You made an elaborate show of entering the room. You hid behind the doorframe, peeking around to see if James was ready for what you had to show him. Cassie had been in love with Gone with the Wind a child, so she had insisted that everyone wear the tufted hoop skirts, complete with matching bonnets and parasols. Yours had been yellow with large orange roses along the bodice and at each tuft of the skirt. It was the most hideous thing you'd ever worn.

James had fallen off of the couch when you waltzed through the door, popping open the parasol and sashaying across the room. He was curled in a ball on the rug, tears streaming down his face at the absurd dress you were wearing.

He was finally able to contain his mirth and climb back on the couch. "I thought these girls were your friends? Why would anyone do that to someone they liked?"

"Sometimes they just get so caught up in the excitement, they don't realize how silly it all looks," you explained. "It's not my wedding, so I don't get to make the decisions."

You continued modeling the dresses and James kept taking pictures and laughing on your couch. You had come to the end of the closet and there was only one dress left. You had saved this one for last simply because you weren't sure you were able to put it on again. You stood in the hallway staring at for a few minutes before finally making up your mind. 

You peeked around the corner again, scared to come out this time. James looked up from his phone and noticed you hiding. He gave you a confused look as you shyly stepped into the doorway.

"Holy Star Wars!" he exclaimed. "You did not actually wear that at a wedding!"

"Unfortunately, yes," you replied. "Pepper got to wear the white dress Leia wore in Episode IV, but we all got stuck with the slave bikini from Return of the Jedi. I personally thought Aldrich pressured her into this choice simply so he could ogle us at the wedding. He was the sleaziest guy I'd ever met. I was actually happy to hear that Pepper had left him after she caught him screwing his secretary."

James had risen from the couch and had grabbed your hand, twirling you around in a circle in order to get a better view. "Whatever the reason may be, I'm happy I got to see you in this."

"Men!" you chided as you stalked back toward the bedroom. "You're all alike!"

You playfully slammed the door as you searched for your favorite pajamas. You looked at the mess of dresses piled on your bed as you changed one last time. There was no way you were cleaning this up tonight. It looked like you'd be camping on the sofa.

You walked back into the living room to find James pulling on his coat. "You leaving?"

He turned to answer you and started shaking his head as he laughed at you once again. He grabbed his phone for one last picture.

"Only you would wear Captain America pajamas," he observed as he walked toward you. "Can you get any cuter?"

"You're just jealous you don't have a pair," you teased as he pulled you into hug. 

"I am jealous," he agreed, his tone more somber than it had been a minute ago. "You have no idea how jealous I am right now."

"Are you okay?" you asked as you pulled away to look at him.

"I'm fine, doll," he replied. "You need to get some sleep. Give me your number and I'll check in on you tomorrow."

You recited your number for him as he added you into his contact list. He put his phone back in his pocket and gave you one last hug, kissing the top of your head. You walked him to the door, locking up behind him.

You sat on the couch, pulling the blanket off the back cushions and wrapping it around you. You were still a little tipsy, so you blamed the alcohol for the steamy dreams you had of wearing the slave bikini for a dark haired man with vivid blue eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

The buzzing of your phone woke you up the next morning. Your head felt like it was about to come off of your shoulders, your mouth was dry and cottony, and your stomach was making a suspicious gurgling sound. You tried to open your eyes, but the harsh light of day was too painful for you to try to focus. You grabbed your phone off of the coffee table and retreated under the blanket. You dimmed the screen enough that it wasn't too painful to look at and read the text message you had just received.

"Hey doll, just wanted to check and make sure you were alive."  

You were suffering from the worst hangover you'd ever had, but somehow reading this text had a smile spreading across your face. You didn't remember giving him your number last night, you really didn't remember anything about last night, but only one person had ever called you "doll."

"I feel like I just got run over by a truck, but I'm surviving. I have a feeling I need to thank you for making sure I got home last night?"

You hit send and closed your eyes, willing the pain to go away. You had just about fallen asleep again, when your phone buzzed. Squinting one eye open you read his reply.

"You don't remember anything about last night? I guess it's a good thing I took pictures!"

You closed your eyes again and let out a groan. What on Earth had you done last night? Did you sleep with him? Surely you didn't sleep with him, right? If you had, he'd still be here, wouldn't he? He wouldn't have just left you on the couch and gone home.

Your mind had finally cleared enough to really register your situation. Why were you on the couch? You were in your favorite pjs so it was unlikely that you'd slept with him. Deciding that answers were more important than your discomfort, you threw off the blanket and stumbled to your bedroom.

You had just crossed the threshold and found the pile of dresses on your bed when James' text came through. Looking down at your phone, the events of last night started rushing back to you.

Embarrassment washed over you as you finally remembered trying on all of those dresses. You couldn't believe that you had actually put that slave bikini on again. Thinking about that outfit brought the dreams you'd had last night to the forefront of your mind. You may not have actually slept with him, but your subconscious had played out every single fantasy you'd tried not to have about him.

You tossed your phone onto the pile of taffeta and sequins and made your way to the bathroom. Maybe a hot shower would help you feel better and clear your head a bit. When you came out, you could see the light from your phone indicating another text message. You inwardly groaned as you thought about what other embarrassing things James would be bringing up.

Looking at the screen, you were relieved to see a message from your dad. He was inviting you over for Sunday dinner. Grateful for the chance to get out of the house and not have to cook today, you shot him a quick reply letting him know that you'd be there.

You went to the kitchen to make some coffee and grab some ibuprofen while you made a couple slices of toast. You weren't sure your stomach would be able to handle much more than that. Once you were sure that the toast and coffee were going to stay down, you went back to your room to deal with the mess you'd made last night.

 

By the time you'd gotten all of the dressed stuffed back into closet, it was time to head out to the suburbs to your dad's house. You changed into a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater before heading out to grab a taxi.

You could hear your dad talking to someone in the kitchen as you came in through the front door. You instantly knew that it would be Nat. With everything that had happened last night, you had totally forgotten that she was the reason for it. You wondered if she was in there filling your dad's ears with her lies as well.

You steeled your resolve and made your way back to the kitchen. You dad was pulling the pot roast out of the oven as your sister set the small table in the corner.

Your dad looked up as you walked in, his glasses steamed up from the heat of the oven. "There's my pumpkin."

You walked over and gave him a quick hug before turning toward your sister. "Hey, Nat."

"Hey," she replied as tears started welling up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, (Y/N). I hate that we've been fighting and I miss you."

You stepped forward and wrapped your baby sister in a hug. "I've missed you too, sweetie. I'm sorry for everything. Can we just start over?"

Nat held on to you, tears streaming down her face as she nodded her head. You pulled away from the embrace and grabbed a napkin to wipe the tears from her eyes. Your dad came up behind you and wrapped you both up in his arms.

"I hate when my girls are fighting," he told you. "Now that you two of made up, let's eat."

The three of you fell back into the familiar routine from years past. You ate, talked, and laughed as you enjoyed the company of one another. You were just about to start clearing the table when Nat stopped you.

"Since everyone's so happy right now," she began. "I want to share my big news."

You sat back down, a feeling of dread settling over you. "What news?"

Nat reached into her pocket and pulled out a huge diamond ring, slipping it onto her hand. "Steve proposed last night, and I said YES! I called the church where Mom and Dad got married and they had a cancellation. I talked to Steve about it and we decided that we're getting married in four weeks!"

Your dad jumped up from the table and pulled Nat into a bone-crushing hug. "Oh, honey! I'm so happy for you! Steve's a great guy, isn't he (Y/N)?"

You hadn't moved from your seat, the shock of the announcement having rooted you to the spot. "You've only known each other a week! Don't you think you're rushing things a bit?"

"(Y/N)!" Nat complained. "Why can't you just be happy for me, just once?"

The look of hurt on your sister's face had you caving. "I'm sorry, Nat. I just don't want you to make a decision you'll regret later."

"You know how wonderful Steve is," she reminded you. "How could this be a mistake?"

"Nat's right," you dad agreed. "You've always told me what a great guy Steve is. He'd have be crazier than a bag full of cats to let my angel slip through his fingers. Which reminds me!"

With that being said, your father rushed from the kitchen, leaving you and Nat sitting in an awkward silence. You finally decided to start clearing the table, it would at least give you something to do with your hands.

As you were loading the dishes into the dishwasher, your dad came back into the room carrying a garment bag. Your heart sank as you realized what he had.

"Your mother would have wanted you to wear this," your dad told Nat as he unzipped the bag.

"Mom's wedding dress!" she exclaimed as she covered her face in shock. 

You felt like your whole world was coming apart at the seams. First Nat had stolen the man you loved, she was stealing the church where your parents had gotten married, and now she was stealing your mother's wedding dress.

"You'd always told me that you didn't like Mom's wedding dress," you reminded your sister.

She gave you a dirty look. "I know I said that when I was a kid, but obviously I've changed my mind. I know you've always wanted to wear her dress, and you still can. I'll give it back after my wedding."

Your dad grabbed each of you and pulled you into another group hug. "See, everything is working out perfectly! And (Y/N) knows everything about planning a wedding. I'm sure she'll be more than happy to call her connections and get everything ready in time, won't you (Y/N)?"

You would have been able to say no to Nat, or at least you'd like to think that would have, but you couldn't say no to your dad. He looked so happy, you just couldn't let him down.

"Sure, Dad," you agreed. "I'll get the ball rolling in the morning."


	7. Chapter 7

You spent your entire lunch break on Monday calling in every connection you had to get Nat's wedding planned in three weeks. You practically had to promise Josh your firstborn child to get an appointment at the bridal shop the next day. It was going to take a miracle to get the dresses rushed and altered in time, but you'd never met a challenge you couldn't overcome.

You called Nat and let her know that she needed to meet you at Vandall's the following afternoon at 4:00 pm. She had actually squealed when you told her about the appointment. A wave of guilt washed over you as you realized just how happy she and Steve really were.

Steve had called you into his office to go over the schedule for the rest of your week and you couldn't help but notice the screensaver on his computer. It was a never ending cycle of pictures of him and Nat. In every one, they looked like the happiest couple in the world. As each picture popped up, your heart broke a little more until you couldn't take it anymore. You excused yourself and went back to your desk to bury yourself in work.

 

 

You were at Vandall's precisely at 4:00 pm, but Nat was typically late. You and Josh began looking through the bridesmaid dresses and pulling out ones that you thought Nat might like. She didn't show up until after 4:30 and when you tried to show her the dresses you'd picked, she brushed you off and told you to pick whichever one you liked the best since her model friends would look great in anything.

You tried not to get angry as you looked over the dresses and chose your favorite one. You asked Nat what color she would like and again she told you to pick. You were getting more and more frustrated as you realized that she didn't care a single bit about this wedding and that she was more than happy to let you plan the entire thing.

By the time you were finished at the dress shop, you were starving. You suggested that the two of you stop at Donato's for pizza before you each went home. For the first time that evening, Nat seemed to be genuinely excited. 

"What kind of pizza do you want?" you asked Nat as you looked over the menu.

"Deep dish meat lovers!" she exclaimed. "With extra cheese!"

"Is the vegan lifestyle not agreeing with you?" you smirked.

"Are we really going to have this argument again?" she inquired.

"No," you assured her. "I'll drop it. Let's just enjoy dinner."

Your pizza came and the two of you practically inhaled the first couple of slices. You had gotten cheese all over your chin, so Nat pulled out her phone and started snapping pictures. You retaliated by grabbing your phone and taking pictures of her. The two of you ended up posing for ridiculous selfies while you stuffed your faces with pizza. You hadn't had this much fun with Nat since she'd come in and you were glad that your relationship was back on track.

You told Nat that you had appointments lined up the following week for flowers, table linens and a cake tasting the following Sunday. She gave you a hug as she thanked your for all of your help. You watched as she hailed a cab, calling Steve as she got into the backseat. You hailed a cab of your own and headed back to your apartment alone.

 

 

You didn't hear from Nat again until Thursday afternoon when she dropped by the office. She was supposed to attend Phil's Little League game with Steve, but she was decked out in a designer outfit and three-inch heels. You had a really hard time suppressing the smile when you overheard the argument coming from Steve's office.

"Steve," Nat whined. "My friends are only in for a few days. We can go watch that kid play soccer anytime."

"Baseball," Steve corrected. "And the point is, you promised you would go!"

"Look," she cooed leaning in close and playing with his tie. "I'll make it up to you tonight, I swear."

Repulsion had shivers going down your spine at that line. You tried really hard not to imagine what she had in mind to make up for this broken promise. You just hoped Steve was prepared for a lifetime of those, Nat rarely thought of anyone other than Nat. It was something you'd grown used to over the years, but Steve valued loyalty and integrity above all else. If she was already starting her normal routine, it wouldn't be long before this whole relationship imploded.

"What I am supposed to tell Phil?" he asked her.

"I don't know," Nat evaded. "Why don't you ask (Y/N) to go? I bet he won't even notice I'm not there if she goes with you."

You could feel Steve's eyes on you as you tried to look like you were actually working instead of eavesdropping on their conversation. You heard his footsteps as he approached your desk and debated on whether you should turn around or wait for him to speak. You decided to pretend you were engrossed in your task and let him speak first.

"(Y/N)?" Steve asked as he propped one hip on the corner of your desk.

You stopped typing and turned to look at him. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a huge favor to ask you," he began. "Nat has some friends in and she's not going to be able to make it to Phil's Little League game tonight. It's the first game of the playoffs and I promised we'd both be there. I understand if you already have plans. . ."

"You don't even have to ask," you replied. "I'd love to go to Phil's game."

He clapped his hands together as he stood. "Great! Do you need to go home and change before we go?"

"I've got some extra clothes in my gym bag I can change into," you assured him. "What time to we need to leave?"

Realizing that you were once again coming to her rescue, Nat bounded out of the office and clung onto Steve's arm. "See! I told you (Y/N) would go. Everything is going to work out perfectly."

Nat said her goodbyes and practically skipped to the elevators, so happy that she didn't have to spend the evening watching a child's baseball game. She gave the two of you a little wave as the doors closed.

"The game starts in about an hour," Steve told you as he started back toward his office. "You should probably get changed so we can catch a cab."

You began shutting down your computer and gathering your things. "Okay. I'll be ready in about ten minutes."

You grabbed your gym bag from under your desk and turned toward the bathroom. You drew up short when you found Wanda standing in your way, a look of disgust on her face.

"Please tell me you're not actually doing this?" she asked as she unfolded her arms and ran her hands through her hair. "This is what got you into this mess in the first place! You are always available to him and that's why he'll never see you as anything other than his assistant."

"I don't need this right now Wanda," you hissed under your breath. "I'm not doing this for Steve. This is for Phil. I love that kid and I won't let him be disappointed by my sister."

She shook her head as she moved out of your way. "I wish I could believe you."

 

 

You and Steve arrived at the ballpark just in time for the opening pitch. You made a pit stop at the concession stand for a loaded hot dog, a couple bags of chips and two bottles of water. You handed Steve his chips and water as you watched Phil strike out the first batter.

It was easy to fall back into the old routines you had once had with Steve. After a few innings you completely forgot that Nat had ever come between the two of you. When Phil scored a home run in the bottom of the ninth, Steve picked you up and spun you around as you both screamed in excitement. 

Your eyes locked with his and the mood suddenly shifted. It wasn't until he lowered you back to your feet and you were mere inches apart that you remembered that he wasn't yours. You shouldn't be having these feelings toward the man your sister was about to marry. 

You took a deliberate step back out of his arms and just like that, the spell was broken. Steve blinked and shook his head, obviously just as caught up in the moment as you.

"That was a great hit," he observed as he tried to lighten the mood.

"Definitely," you agreed. "I can tell he's really been practicing hard. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up with a scholarship once he graduates."

Steve threw his hands in the air as he laughed and shook his head at you. "I'm not ready to think about that now! He's still just a kid, and I'm not ready for him to grow up yet."

"You can't stop him from growing up, Steve," you chided. "Any anyway, your life is about to change pretty drastically in the new few weeks. It won't be too long before you start to have kids of your own."

"It's not going to be that drastic," he argued. "Nat and I have so much in common, it's going to be a piece of cake to merge our lives together."

You were just about to contradict that statement when your phone chirped. You pulled it from the pocket of your jacket and checked the screen.

"Hey doll. Just wanted to see how you were doing. Can't wait to see you Saturday night."

"Who in the world is texting you?" Steve asked as he tried to read the message on your screen. "I've never seen your face light up like that from a text."

"It's just this guy I met a few weeks ago," you explained.

Steve snapped his fingers as though he'd just figured something out. "Bucky told me that. . . "

"For the last time, Steve," you interrupted. "I'm not the least bit interesting in your friend, Bucky!"

"I don't understand," Steve began, but was interrupted by the crowd around him screaming again as one of Phil's teammates scored the run that won them the game.

You cheered along with Steve and the rest of the crowd. Steve gave you a hug before running down to the dugout to congratulate Phil. You took the moment to send James a reply.

"At a baseball game with my boss. See you on Saturday."

 

 

Bucky got excited when he heard his phone beep. The smile that had been on his face a moment before fell as he read your text.


	8. Chapter 8

You and Steve had gone with the team to a local pizza parlor after the game to celebrate their victory. There was no more talk of Bucky, and you focused all of your attention on having a good time with Phil and Steve. 

"I don't think Natasha likes me very much," Phil confided in you as you played a game of foosball in the corner of the restaurant. 

You were so shocked at the statement, you became distracted and allowed Phil to score a point on you. "What do you mean? Why would you think that?"

"Steve's asked her to come to a few of my games," he told you. "She always tells him she will, but then she doesn't ever show up. I tried talking to her once, but she just kinda ignored me."

You wanted to throttle your sister. You knew she didn't have much patience for children, but Phil was special. His parents had both died in a car accident when he was five, and he'd been in and out of foster care since then. Joining the Big Brother program and meeting Steve had been the best thing to happen to the kid. The fact that your sister couldn't see how great he was, just proved to you again that she and Steve didn't belong together. You had hoped that one day you and Steve would get married and adopt Phil, but you just didn't see your sister wanting to take on "someone else's problem." It was definitely her loss.

"I'm sorry, buddy," you tried to apologize as you started the game again. "Nat can be difficult to get to know sometimes. I'm sure once she and Steve are married that things will work themselves out."

"Why can't you marry Steve?" he asked in all of his ten year old innocence. 

Your heart ached at the question. Why couldn't you marry Steve? It was all you'd ever wanted to do, but now he was engaged to your sister. You struggled to keep the tears at bay as you walked around the foosball table. You took Phil's hand and walked him to an empty booth.

"Steve isn't in love with me, sweetheart," you explained. "He's in love with Nat, so they're going to get married."

"Don't you love Steve?" he inquired. "You guys are always together, and you're always laughing. Isn't that love?"

You struggled with the right way to word this so he'd understand. "I do love Steve, and he loves me, too. Just like we love you. Steve just isn't in love with me, though. Do you understand?"

"Steve doesn't want to have sex with you," he surmised.

You swallowed hard and began choking and coughing, your hand coming up to pound on your chest. That was definitely not where you were intending this conversation to go!

"I'm sorry, what?" you finally spat out. "Why would you even ask that? How do you even know about that?"

"(Y/N)," Phil rolled his eyes at you. "I live in a home with three teenage foster brothers. I hear things."

"Right," you conceded. "This is neither the time nor the place for this conversation. Let's just say that you're assumption is correct and leave it at that, okay?"

"Steve's an idiot," he declared. "I know your sister is hot, but you're obviously the better choice."

Your heart swelled at the compliment this adorable child was paying you. How was it that he could see how much better for Steve you were than your sister, but Steve couldn't? You scooted around to Phil's side of the booth and pulled him into a hug.

"I love you, sweetie," you reminded him. "It doesn't matter what happens in the next few weeks. I'll always love you and I'm not going to stop being a part of your life just because Steve and Nat get married."

Phil wrapped his arms around you tightly as he buried his head in your neck. At that moment, you realized what this whole conversation had been about in the first place. Phil was scared that once Steve married your sister, you wouldn't be a part of his life anymore. You didn't care who Steve married, you loved this little boy and you were never going to let anyone get in the way of that.

Phil suddenly remembered that he was in the middle of a busy restaurant and that his entire team was just a few feet away. He quickly let you go and swiped at the tears gathering in the corner of his eyes. He gave you a smile as you slid out the booth, letting him slide out behind you and head back toward his friends.

"What was that all about?" Steve asked as he walked over toward you.

You took a moment to figure out how much you wanted to share with Steve. "Phil was just a little worried that I wouldn't be around as much after you and Nat get married. I assured him that nothing would change between him and me."

Steve looked a little shocked at your statement. "I never even thought about it. I guess he would be worried about that. I'll have to sit down and have a talk with him soon. I don't want him to think that I'm going to abandon him once I get married."

"That's probably a good idea," you agreed as you squeezed Steve's arm before heading back toward the group of rowdy boys.

 

 

You tried to keep the nagging list of reasons why Steve and Nat shouldn't get married at the back of your mind as you prepared for Mariana's wedding this weekend. You had another rehearsal and dinner on Friday, followed by a busy day of wedding preparations on Saturday. This wedding had a lot of timing elements to worry about, so you needed to keep your focus centered.

Mar had went with a Harry Potter theme which you secretly adored. Mar's dress was styled after Fleur's wedding dressing. The top had a sheer white overlay over a satin bodice. There were two black peacocks embroidered on the bodice and their plumes flared at her hips to wrap around the dress and sweeping to the floor behind her. Under the peacocks on the front, the bottom of the gown was made of tiered layers of white tulle, designed to look like feathers. 

The bridesmaid's dresses were your favorites though. She had chosen for everyone to wear Fleur's gown from the Yule Ball from book four. It was a simple A-line dress in pale pewter grey crushed taffeta. The neckline was embroidered with poinsettias of the same color that spread up and over the left strap of the dress. The dress had a simple elegance that you loved and the way it flowed when you walked made you feel like a princess.

It was a shame then when you had to hike up that gorgeous dress to kneel in the aisle to clean up vomit. One of the guests had decided that their child really wasn't that sick and would be fine to attend the wedding. The poor boy had tried to make it the bathroom in time, but had ended up spewing the contents of his stomach right where Mar was supposed to walk in a few minutes. Someone had found a can of carpet cleaner and you did the best you could to clean up the mess. Thankfully, the aisle runner hadn't been unrolled yet, so it wasn't a complete disaster.

You were able to get the mess cleaned up without Mar ever knowing about the incident. The rest of the wedding went smoothly and Mar and Pietro exchanged their vows in a beautiful candlelit ceremony. As the happy couple exited the church, two dozen white doves were released as the guests showered them with silver heart-shaped confetti from wand shaped poppers. The way the camera's flash reflected off the shiny paper made it appear as though sparks of magic were flying from the ends of the wands.

The reception was held at a country club a few miles from the church, outside of the city. The clubhouse had a beautiful garden-like courtyard with benches that allowed guests to escape the bustling party for a quiet moment. There were even white peacocks wandering through the garden, keeping the magical theme alive. 

You had sent James a surreptitious wave once the wedding party had arrived at the reception. He had given you a curt nod and quickly turned back toward the guests he was serving. You were a little confused, but you chalked it up to him being busy and thought nothing more of it.

Once your duties for the evening were complete and you were sure that Mariana didn't need anything else from you, you made your way over to the bar. James was chatting with a few ladies and looked as though he would be perfectly content to stay in their company for the night. You knew you didn't have any right to be jealous, but after the week you'd had, you'd been looking forward to at least having him to confide in tonight.

James' assistant, Nick saw the look in your eye and came over. He was an imposing man, tall and dark, with a black eye patch over his left eye. You had realized after meeting him that he was actually a kind-hearted man. He had learned your preferences just as well as James had, so it was just a few moments before you had a drink in your hand. 

You had just turned to go when James' voice called out to stop you. The sound of your name on his lips had your heart racing and butterflies fluttering in your stomach. You weren't sure what it was about him that caused you to have this reaction, and you didn't want to dwell on it. Right now you needed a friend, and you felt more comfortable talking to him than anyone other than Wanda.

He gave you a sheepish smile as you turned back toward him. "Hey. Sorry about that. You know how women are at weddings."

"Not all women," you corrected him with wry smile.

"Call it wishful thinking," he replied as he wiped the surface of the bar with a white towel. "You look a little down tonight, what's going on?"

"Remember me telling you about my boss and my sister?" you asked in response to his question. "Well, they got engaged last weekend."

"I heard about that," he stated.

"How did you hear about that?" you asked incredulously. 

"Um. . . one of the guests here mentioned it," he replied a little suspiciously as his neck started to turn a slight shade of red.

Hurt constricted your heart at the thought of James laughing at you behind your back. "You were gossiping about me?"

"No, not at all," he rushed to assure you, realizing what his statement implied. "I just happened to overhear it, I guess."

"Oh," you huffed dejectedly. "I guess everyone is having a good laugh at my expense."

"(Y/N)," James began. "It's not like that. It's not your fault Steve is an idiot who can't see what's right in front of his face."

"Why is it that everyone except Steve thinks I'm so wonderful?" you asked, your breath hitching as you struggled to hold the tears at bay.

"Hey, Nick, cover for me," James called to his assistant as he rounded the bar and led you out into the courtyard.

James led you toward the back of the garden to a secluded bench only lit by the moon and stars above. He shrugged out of his coat and draped it over your shoulders before pulling you close to him. The tears that you had been holding back all week long finally broke free as you openly sobbed on his shoulder. His hands rubbed circles on your back as he murmured comforting words into your ear. 

You finally pulled yourself together, pulling back to look at James. His eyes were full of sorrow as he wiped a tear from your cheek with the pad of his thumb. Your emotions were on overload at the moment, so you were confused at how you could be so miserable and yet elated at the same time. When you thought about Steve, sadness filled your soul, but when James looked at you with that indecipherable look in those gorgeous blue-grey eyes, you became breathless and nervous.

James continued to stare into your eyes as his thumb continued caressing your face, moving from your cheek down the side of your face, tracing your jaw and finally coming to rest at your chin. James' eyes flicked down to your lips as you drew a ragged breath into your aching lungs. You nervously ran your tongue over your lips causing James to drag his lower lip between his teeth. The anguish from a moment ago was completely replaced with a longing ache.

James' eyes slowly traveled back up to meet yours, the lust in his matching your own. His grip on your chin tightened just a bit as he drew you closer to him. Caught up in the moment, you willing allowed him guide you wherever he pleased. His lips were mere millimeters from yours, and your eyes began to close. Your name fell from his lips in a breathless whisper as he continued to close the gap between you.

Your lips had barely brushed against his when reason came flooding back. You inhaled sharply as you pulled away from him. His eyes shot open, confusion written all over his face.

You hurriedly stood up, shrugging out of his coat and handing it to him. "I'm sorry, James. I can't do this tonight. I'm not in a good place right now and it wouldn't be fair to you. I hope you can forgive me."

You turned and quickly walked back into the clubhouse, leaving James sitting in the moonlight by himself, his head hanging dejectedly.


	9. Chapter 9

You stared at your phone all morning on Sunday. You were waiting for James to text you, but you were also terrified that James would text you. You kept replaying that scene in the garden over and over in your head. You wanted to believe that it was just the combination of the magical wedding and the romantic moonlight, but you just couldn't keep lying to yourself. You were starting to develop feelings for him.

Sure he was handsome and charming, but he was also sweet and kind. He always seemed to be there for you when you needed him, which is more than you could say about Steve. You struggled to reconcile these conflicting emotions within you. How could you be developing feelings for James when you were already in love with Steve? Was is even possible to love two men at the same time? Steve was definitely unavailable, but you didn't want to be with James just because you couldn't have Steve. The inner turmoil was starting to give you a headache.

You couldn't take the anticipation any longer and grabbed your phone. You opened up the messenger app and stared at the screen for a few minutes. What did you say to him? You wanted to let him know that were interested, but he knew all about Steve, so you didn't want to come across as fickle. You typed the message three times, each time shaking your head and deleting it. Finally finding the words, you typed them quickly and hit send before you could change your mind.

"I want to apologize again for last night. I'm sorry that you're caught up in emotional whirlwind that is my life. I really like you, but I need a little time to figure things out."

You stared at the phone for a few moments, worry eating at you as you waited. When the three flashing dots popped up letting you know that James was typing, you let out the breath you'd been unaware you'd been holding. Your grip grew tighter as you waited for his message to come through.

"You're worth waiting for, doll."

Tears of relief welled up as you read those five little words. You definitely didn't deserve this guy. He was too perfect. There had to be something about him you didn't know, some flaw you were missing. You didn't waste any time dwelling on it, though. You were too busy reveling in the thought that someone you liked actually liked you back. Maybe losing Steve wouldn't be that hard after all.

 

 

Nat texted you Tuesday afternoon as you were packing up to leave work. She said that she had a surprise for you and wanted you to meet her at Steve's apartment. She warned you not to ask any questions, so you hailed a cab and gave the driver Steve's address without another thought about it.

Steve's doorman, Scott, knew you and let you in without any hassles. You walked toward the elevator and pushed the button for Steve's floor. You walked down the familiar hallway and rang the bell. You were greeted by an elated Nat whom you could only assume had been waiting by the door.

"Wait right here," she instructed as she walked back into the living room. "I just need to grab my bag and then we can go."

"I don't understand," you questioned as you followed her into the living room. "Why did I meet you here if we're just going to go somewhere else?"

You stopped abruptly when you saw Phil standing in the middle of the room with an apron tied around his waist and a duster in his hand. "Phil? What are you doing?"

"Nat's paying me to clean Steve's apartment," he explained. "Isn't that awesome?"

"You're always telling me that I needed to give the kid a chance," Nat reasoned as she ran a tube of lipstick over her lips before dropping it back into the bad slung over her shoulder. "I figured this would be a win-win situation."

"No, Nat, it's not!" you yelled. "Phil, honey, I'm sure you've got some homework that you need to be doing. Here's some money for a cab, you go down and let Scott hail one for you."

Phil shrugged his shoulders, untied the apron and took your money before heading out of the door. You waited until he had left the apartment before you laid into your sister.

"How could you do that?" you screamed. "He's just a kid and you're using him for slave labor?"

"I don't understand why you're so upset," Nat complained. "I paid him twenty dollars."

"He's ten years old!" you argued. "His life has been nothing but hell for the past five years and all he wants is for someone to love him. He wants you to love him because Steve loves you, and he's scared he's going to lose Steve once you two get married. You're taking advantage of him, Natasha!"

"Fine!" she conceded. "If it's that big of a deal, I won't pay him to clean anymore. I just thought the kid might want a few extra dollars and Steve doesn't believe in hiring help. Can you believe he actually expects me to clean this place, myself?"

You couldn't help but roll your eyes at the audacity of your sister. "You do realize that you're staying here for free, and you're not working right now?"

"Whatever," she dismissed you. "We need to get going or we're going to be late. You can yell at me later."

Nat started walking toward the door, the conversation apparently over in her mind. You had no choice but to follow her out. She had Scott hail a cab after she whispered the address in his ear. She was taking this surprise very seriously.

When the cab stopped in front of Vandall's Bridal Shop, you were confused. You had talked to Josh yesterday and he'd told you the dresses wouldn't be in until Monday of next week. You started to get a little excited thinking that perhaps Nat had decided not to wear your mother's dress after all.

She led you back toward the fitting area where Josh and the seamstress, Georgie, were waiting for you. Georgie and Nat disappeared into dressing room and Josh handed you a full glass of champagne, tipping the bottom to force you to drink it all at once.

You gave him a confused look, but before you could ask him anything, the door opened and Nat stepped out of the room. She made her way to the raised platform in front of the mirrors and showed off the stunning gown she was wearing. It was an off-white, A-line gown with a sweetheart bodice in satin and a full skirt of tulle. There were hints of lace around the top, around the waist, and along the bottom of the gown. It was absolutely beautiful and was definitely more her style.

"Oh, Nat," you exclaimed. "You decided not to wear Mom's dress after all!"

She gave you a sly smile as she twirled around. "No, (Y/N), this is Mom's dress!"

"I don't understand," you asked in confusion. "That looks nothing like Mom's dress."

"I had Georgie use the satin and lace from Mom's gown to make the bodice and the hem," Nat explained as Georgie walked toward you with a box and a sad smile on her face.

You took the box from her and looked inside to find scraps of material piled in layers. "Are you telling me you cut up Mom's dress?"

"You didn't really expect me to wear that outdated thing, did you?" Nat asked as she admired herself in the mirror. "I knew you would want the rest, so I had Georgie save it for you."

"I can't believe you did that, Nat!" you yelled. "You knew I wanted to wear Mom's dress! Now you've ruined it!"

"You don't have to yell at me, (Y/N)," she shot back at you. "Dad gave me the dress, I can do whatever I want to with it."

"That's what you do, isn't it?" you retorted. "You take whatever is given to you and use it however you see fit without any regard for someone else's feelings."

"You're overreacting," your sister chastised you. "It's just an ugly dress, you'll get over it."

"It was one of the only things we had left of Mom's and you destroyed it!" you snapped as you clutched the box of scraps and stormed out of the shop.

You fumed the entire way home in the cab. You were so sick and tired of Nat ruining everything you'd ever loved. Maybe it was time you ruined something for her.


	10. Chapter 10

It was two days before you heard from Nat again. You could tell that Steve knew what was going on from the way he acted around you. That was the worst part of this whole deal. You and Steve had a great working relationship before all of this, regardless of the way he felt about you, or rather the way he didn't feel about you. Nat had come in and totally disrupted everything, and now you and Steve could barely have a conversation, even about work related topics.

She had decided to show up again with baked goods. You had to hand it to her, she knew all of your weaknesses, especially when it came to your sweet tooth. This time, it just wasn't one slice of cheesecake, but an entire cheesecake. She knew she had screwed up big, and that it was going to be hard to earn your forgiveness this time.

You had debated on whether to forgive her, but once you saw Steve peeking through the windows in his office, a hopeful look on his face, you just couldn't let either of them down. They were both depending on you to make this wedding work, and they knew they couldn't do it on their own. You accepted the peace offering with a smile, but in the back of your mind you were thinking, "one more time. . . one more thing and I'm done."

You knew Nat had an ulterior motive for coming by, and of course it had to do with her wedding. She had begged you to put together a slide show for the engagement party next Saturday night. She and Steve had been making a mad dash around town to take pictures of themselves, so it didn't appear as though they'd only known each other a few weeks. She handed you yet another flash drive of photos for you add and you were sure it wouldn't be the last one.

 

 

You tried again to put the drama between you and sister on hold so that you could focus your attention on the wedding you had this weekend. Your friend Anika was finally marrying the love of her life, Sam Winchester, and of course you were her Maid of Honor. Anika's wedding was the last one on your calendar this year, if you didn't count Nat's. While you were excited for Anika, you were also relieved that your hectic schedule was about to ease up a little bit. The only downside was that she hadn't wanted an open bar at the reception, so you weren't going to get a chance to see James.

He'd been great this past week, giving you the space you needed to try to figure things out. He'd occasionally sent a quick text to let you know he was thinking about you, or a funny meme that he thought you'd enjoy. You had hoped he would text you at some point during the day, but he knew you had a wedding, so he was probably being respectful of your crazy schedule.

You and the other bridesmaids were already dressed and ready to go in your sage green maxi dresses. Anika had gone with a bohemian theme and your dresses were soft and flowing with no cinching waistbands, just one solid sheath of fabric that pooled around your bare feet and made you want to walk along the shoreline to feel the sand between your toes. Anika's dress had an outer shell of Battenberg lace with long sleeves that slightly belled at the ends over a long satin slip, and she was barefoot as well. You were all wearing crowns of flowers that matched the bouquets you would be carrying down the aisle. You placed the flowers on Anika's head and helped arrange the long, dark waves of hair flowing down her back. Once you were finished, it was time to go.

Anika had chosen for everyone to walk down the aisle to an instrumental version of Sigh No More by Mumford and Sons played by a live folk band. As you were preceding Anika down the aisle you happened to catch the eye of one of the guests. He was most definitely not invited to this wedding, but as that sexy smile spread across his face and those gorgeous blue-grey eyes followed your every move, you knew you wouldn't be ratting him out.

As luck would have it, Anika's reception was outdoors with an open seating arrangement, the only assigned seats being reserved for her and Sam. James met you as you entered following the photo session and led you to a table in the far corner. 

"I can't believe you just crashed Anika's wedding," you whispered as you allowed him to lead you along.

"I couldn't stand the thought of not seeing you this weekend," he admitted. "Anika seems like a sweet girl, she's not going to kick me out is she?"

You sneaked a glance back at her and found her staring wide eyed at you wrapped in the arms of a handsome stranger. "Well, she obviously knows you're crashing, but judging from the smile on her face, she doesn't care."

"Good, cause I wasn't planning on leave," he admitted as he settled you into a chair and leaned down to whisper in your ear. "At least not without you."

Heat coursed through you as the implications of that statement hit you. James sat in the chair next to you and gave you a seductive wink. He leaned back and watched the range of emotions play over your face. Confusion was followed by shock, which then turned into desire. This was a side of him you weren't prepared for. You were so used to his professionalism, but now you were seeing him as he truly was, and you were not disappointed.

He made polite conversation with the other guests at your table, and waited patiently while you finished up your duties as the Maid of Honor. Knowing he was there, watching your every move, had you breathless and more nervous than you usually were. It had you wondering if he had always watched you like that and you just hadn't noticed. 

After your speech, Anika pulled you aside to whisper in your ear. "Who is Mr. Tall, Dark, and Sexy, and why haven't I heard about him before?"

"His name is James," you explained. "He's been the bartender at a few of the weddings I've been in this summer and. . . and I really don't know what's going on between us."

"Well, I say go for it," she encouraged you with a wink. "Steve is marrying your sister in two weeks, so it's time to move on from that, and if you want my opinion, you definitely upgraded!"

You couldn't help but laugh at Anika's assessment of the situation. "By the way, thanks for squeezing in their wedding cake for me, I owe you big time."

"I'm not doing it for Nat," she told you. "She doesn't deserve one of my wedding cakes, but I just can't say no to you. Don't forget about the tasting in the morning. Maria has already gotten everything set up and ready to go. Once I get back from the honeymoon, I get started on it."

You gave Anika a hug before you left her to enjoy the rest of the reception. You turned to head back to your table only to find James waiting for you a few feet away. He held out a hand and once you placed yours in his, he swept you into his arms and twirled you onto the dance floor. The band was playing a slow number that allowed him to keep you close. You closed your eyes and laid your head on his shoulder, letting him take the lead while you enjoyed the dance.

This was the first wedding you'd been to where you'd had a "date" and now you finally understood why so many people hated to come alone. You'd always enjoyed yourself with the other single girls, but there was something to be said about having a handsome man whose attention was focused solely on you.

You and James had been dancing and laughing at the band's rendition of Elton John's Bennie and the Jets, each of you coming up with crazy lyrics since neither of you actually knew the words. The band leader announced that the next song would the last and they were going out with a slow one. James didn't hesitate as he pulled you back into his arms, his gaze never leaving yours.

You spent the entire song silently staring into his beautiful eyes. You tried to figure out how to describe his expression and the only word you could come up with was love. You knew he desired you, but this wasn't that. It went deeper than lust and desire. He was looking at you like you were the only woman in the world, like you had hung the moon. Was it even possible? Could he actually be in love with you, even knowing all he did about you? Did you even deserve his love? Did you deserve him?

Your hands were loosely wrapped around his neck, your fingers ghosting over his skin as you swayed with him to the music. You were tired of always settling for second place, always being left behind. This was your chance to finally find happiness. He was here and he accepted you for who you were, flaws and all. What more could you ask of a man? 

The inner conflict that had been raging inside of you for weeks was finally at an end. You had made your choice, and you were choosing him. Garnering your courage, you slid your hands from his neck up to the sides of his face and started to pull him toward you. His eyes went dark as he realized what you were doing, and he stopped moving as his hands moved to your hips, pulling you even closer to him as he closed the distance between the two of you.

The first kiss had been while you were drunk, the second was barely even a kiss, but this one. . . this one was the one that poets wrote about. He didn't crush your mouth to his as you would have done, but instead, his lips lightly brushed over yours. He gradually increased the pressure until you were so breathless you couldn't help but pull a raged breath into your lungs. James used this opportunity to deepen the kiss and you lost all hope of ever catching your breath. You had never been kissed like this before in your entire life. 

His hands had moved from your hips up the sides of your torso, the thin material of your dress doing nothing to protect you from the heat emanating off of him. You felt as though you were on fire, burning from the inside out, and he was the flame that had ignited it. You buried your fingers in that lush mane of hair, desperate to have him closer.

James reluctantly began to draw away from you, his teeth dragging over your bottom lip as he struggled to regain control of himself. His lips were the only part of him that wasn't still touching you, and you could see the struggle in his eyes not to continue the kiss. He rested his forehead against yours as he tried to catch his breath. His thumbs had begun tracing the outline of your ribs, the sensation keeping your heart racing beneath your chest.

He closed his eyes as he searched for the words he wanted to say. "Do you want to. . ."

"Yes," you interrupted him, causing him to chuckle softly.

He brushed his lips against yours one more time before he began to move away. He didn't let you go too far as he pulled you into his side, his arm wrapped around your shoulders, leading you out to the parking lot. Anika had called in advance for cabs to arrive at the end of the reception, so it was just a matter of finding an empty one and giving the driver your address.

You and James didn't speak during the entire ride, not wanting to break the spell. Your hand was in his as he lazily brushed his thumb over your knuckles. The friction was enough to keep your senses heightened in anticipation. He would occasionally glance over at you, his eyes almost unreadable in the dim interior of the taxi. 

James took your bag from you once you had exited the cab. He found your key and unlocked the front door. He placed his hand at the small of your back as the two of you rushed up the stairs. James unlocked the door of your apartment, turning around and pulling you in with him. He slammed the door and managed to flick the lock before pressing you against its hard surface. His mouth was back on yours in an instant, picking up right where you'd left off. You buried your hands in his hair again as he pulled one of your legs up over his hip, his hand pushing the material of your dress higher up to feel the smooth expanse of your thigh beneath his fingers. 

You gasped as his fingers gripped your leg, and his lips left yours to brush over the sensitive skin beneath your jaw. His mouth was hot against your flesh and it left a trail of fire along your neck that continued scorching down to your core. You were almost at your breaking point, desperately needing to get your hands on his naked flesh. Your hands left his hair to begin loosening the knot of his tie and undoing the buttons of his shirt. Once you finished your task, you placed your hands on his chest, your nails lightly raking down the expanse of hard muscles.

James gasped as your hands continued to move lower. His eyes were wide, his pupils dilated as desire flooded his system. His hands moved to the back of your thighs, lifting you up to wrap your legs around his waist. Knowing the way to your bedroom, he carried you blindly as you leaned down to kiss him once again.

 

 

You awoke to the sound of your alarm. You tried to move, but the arm around you tightened, pulling you closer the warm body behind you. A smile spread across your face as you remembered why there was a naked man in your bed. 

You lay there for a moment, enjoying the warmth of his body and the memories of the night before, but your alarm wasn't relenting. "As much as I would love to stay here all morning, I have somewhere I need to be."

"Cancel," he replied, his voice husky with sleep.

"It's Nat and Steve's cake testing this morning," you explained. "Anika squeezed us in at the last moment, I can't cancel."

He didn't say a word, but you could feel him become distant behind you. The weight of his arm was gone in a flash as he rolled over on his back. You twisted around to look at him, but he'd covered his face with his arm, making his expression unreadable.

You got up and threw on the first clothes that you found, all the while James lay in your bed, not moving and not talking. You couldn't figure out what you had said to cause him to become so distant all of a sudden, and you didn't have time to worry about it.

"You know where the coffee is," you told him as you started out the door. "Help yourself and stay as long as you like, just lock the door behind you."

You waited for a second, hoping he would say something. With your heart weighing heavy in your chest and tears threatening to spill, you quietly walked out and headed down to the street.

 

 

Bucky waited until he heard the door shut before he removed the arm covering his face. Turning his head to where you were laying just moments before, his eyes went back to the picture he'd just noticed on your nightstand. A picture of you and Steve.


	11. Chapter 11

You replayed the whole morning over and over again in your mind as the cab drove to Anika's bakery. For the life of you, you couldn't figure out why he'd gone so cold. You know you'd mentioned Steve's name, but he had to know that after last night, you were moving on from Steve. He had to know that you had chosen him. You let out an exasperated sigh as you leaned your head back against the headrest. Things could have been so different if you hadn't had to run out on him like that. Just another example of how you always sacrificed your own happiness to please others.

Your taxi pulled up at the same time as Nat and Steve's. You watched as they got out, full of smiles and laughter. You felt as though you'd had a shot at that not twelve hours ago, but now, it seemed as far away as ever. You put a smile on your face and walked over to meet the happy couple.

"What's wrong, (Y/N)?" Steve asked, instantly seeing through the fake smile on your face.

"I don't know what you mean?" you lied.

"Something's wrong," Steve insisted. "You know you can't lie to me."

You laughed at the irony of that statement. It was true that he did know you, but he'd somehow missed the biggest lie you'd ever told him. If only he had figured it out. Maybe you should have told him years ago, then perhaps it would be the two of you picking out wedding cakes today. You mentally shook your head. You were right to keep it to yourself. Look what happened last night when you decided to put yourself out there. Either way, you ended up alone and heartbroken.

"I'm fine, really" you insisted, refusing to allow your personal issues to dampen the mood.

"She said she's fine, Steve," Nat snapped, irritated that she was being ignored. "Are we going to do this, or not?"

You led the way to the bakery door and opened it for Nat and Steve to go in ahead of you. Maria was sitting on a stool behind the counter, reading the paper as she waited for you. She folded the paper and laid it on the counter as she stood to greet you. You introduced her to Nat and Steve and thanked her again for coming in so early to meet with you all.

Maria showed Nat and Steve to one of the small tables in the corner of the bakery while you walked back with her to get the cake samples. She grabbed the paper on her way back.

"Did you see the Lifestyle section this morning?" she asked as she handed you the paper.

"No, why?" you inquired as you opened the paper to see what she was referring to.

"Malcolm Doyle covered it last night," she explained. "Didn't you see him there?"

"I didn't notice him," you admitted. "I wasn't really looking for him, though."

"I know you weren't," she smirked. "I saw the hottie you were with all night. There's even a picture of the two of you dancing."

She pointed to one of the pictures in the paper, and sure enough, there was a picture of you and James dancing that first dance, your head on his shoulders and a contented smile on his face. Looking at this picture just made you even more confused. He looked so happy last night, but this morning, it was like he was a different guy.

"It's nothing serious," you lied. "He's just some guy I met a few weeks ago."

She took the paper and smacked you on the arm with it. "Liar! I saw that kiss right before the two of you hightailed it to one of the cabs."

Having been caught in your lie caused the tears you'd kept at bay to well up again. Seeing the anguish on your face, Maria instantly pulled you into her arms.

"I'm sorry, sweetie," she crooned. "I didn't realize. What happened? Was he a jerk? He didn't hurt you, did he? If he hurt you, I'm going to go kick his ass right now!"

"It's not his fault," you admitted. "At least I don't think so. I told him about Steve a few weeks ago, so he knows that I'm in love with someone else. Except I think I'm falling in love with him, but I think he thought it was just a one night stand. I don't know what to do!"

"Can I give you some advice?" she asked, pulling back to look you in the eye as you nodded your agreement. "Talk to him. Tell him how you feel. If you don't, you're libel to be helping him pick out his wedding cake when he marries your cousin!"

Maria had a way of making you laugh, even when she was yelling at you. That was one of the things you loved about her. She gave you a napkin to dry your eyes before handing you a couple plates of cake to take out front.

 

 

After Nat and Steve had chosen their cake for the wedding, you begged off going to lunch with them and headed back to your apartment. A small part of you hoped that James might still be there, but you knew as soon as you opened the door that he was gone. You walked into your bedroom to find the bed neatly made, all of the pillows in their proper places. It was though he had never been here. You checked the bathroom and the kitchen, hoping for at least a note, but there was nothing. Completely dejected, you curled up on the couch with a blanket and spent the rest of the day watching Netflix.

You checked your phone every few minutes to make sure you hadn't missed a text or a call. You even checked the ringer to make sure it was working. You don't know how many times you opened the lock screen to call or text him, but you always chickened out. You knew Maria was right and that you needed to at least try this time, but you were scared. What if he really didn't want you? That had always been your biggest fear when it came to Steve. Sure he loved to hang out with you, but would he actually want to be with you? Maybe you just weren't the kind of girl guys saw themselves with long term.

 

 

Sunday passed with no word from James. Monday dragged by without a single text or call, either. You were working up the nerve to make a move on Tuesday, but you decided to give him one more day. Maybe he was one of those guys that believed you had to wait three days before calling a girl back.

When Wednesday went by with no word from him, you made up your mind. You had grown angrier and angrier with every day that passed with no word from him. It didn't help that you were working on Nat and Steve's PowerPoint of love. Looking at all of those happy pictures of the two of them just made you want to lash out. You thought about your Mom's wedding dress and that made you even angrier. Deciding you'd had enough of playing nice, you opened your phone and found the pictures of you and Nat the night you'd gone out pizza. You sent them to your e-mail and uploaded them to the PowerPoint. Steve was going to love seeing his vegan bride stuffing her face full of meat lover's pizza! Nat was finally going to see what it felt like to have everything ripped out from underneath her.

 

 

Thursday night was Phil's final game of the season. It was the championship game and you wouldn't have missed it for the world. You walked to the dugout to wish him good luck and ask him for a favor before you headed for your seat. You saw Steve sitting in the stands in your normal spot, but you didn't want to see him right now, so you sat in front of a group of tall dads to keep Steve from spotting you.

Phil's team won the game and as he and his teammates celebrated on the field, he stopped to find you in the crowd. You gave him a huge smile and a thumbs-up before you quietly left the field, too angry and upset to join them for their celebration at the pizza parlor.

 

 

Saturday finally arrived and you awoke with a guilty feeling in the pit of your stomach. You thought about the plan you'd hatched all day, and finally decided that it wasn't really you. You should have known you'd never be able to go through with it. You went back to the computer and burned another copy of the PowerPoint, this one without the pictures of Nat eating the pizza. You threw it in your bag as you headed out of your apartment.

Just as you reached the lobby, your phone alerted you to an incoming message. You pulled it from your bag and your stomach dropped when you saw who it was from.

"We need to talk, doll."

You didn't even bother replying before you shut the phone off and dropped it back in your bag. The nerve of that guy! One whole week without a word and now, all of a sudden, he wants to talk. Too bad, he'd missed his chance.

You hailed a cab and gave him the address of the party. As hard as you tried, you just couldn't get James' text off of your mind. What did he want to talk about? Was he sorry about last Saturday? Maybe he was sorry about the way he acted Sunday morning? You needed to know, but you just didn't have time to deal with it before party. Afterward, you'd call him and maybe the two of you could meet for coffee and figure things out. That sounded like a good plan, you just needed to make it through this party.

The cab pulled up to the curb and you quickly swiped your card through the reader as you thanked the driver. You were startled when the door opened from the outside. You looked up to find James staring at you wide-eyed.

"What are you doing here?" you asked.

"Didn't you get my message?" he asked you in return. "I told you we needed to talk."

"Whatever you have to say is going to have to wait," you informed him as you brushed past him to get to the door.

He grabbed your arm and spun you back around to look at him. "(Y/N), there's something I have to tell you and I have to tell you now, before you go in there."

You tried to pull your arm free, but his grip was like a vise. "Let go of me, I have a party to go to."

"I know," he agreed. "That's what I need to talk to you about. I haven't exactly been honest with you and I need to tell you the truth before you go in there."

"Hey Bucky," Steve called from the door. "What are you doing out here with (Y/N)? We need you guys in here to set up the PowerPoint."

You both turned to look at Steve. You got a sick feeling in your stomach as you turned back toward James, or was it Bucky? You searched his eyes and saw the shock and worry all over his face.

"Bucky?" you whispered. "You're Bucky?"

"(Y/N)," he pleaded. "Let me explain."

You jerked your arm free of his grasp as the tears started rolling down your face. "Has this all been a joke to you?"

"Hey," Steve interjected as he walked toward the two of you. "What's going on?"

"Did you tell him?" you asked, your voice catching as the humiliation rose up inside of you. "Did you two have a good laugh at my expense?"

"(Y/N), it's not like that," James/Bucky began.

"(Y/N), what are you talking about?" Steve asked at the same time.

"Sleeping with the girl who's in love with your best friend," you started, your anger and embarrassment causing you say things you would never dream of before. "Was that the plan all along, Bucky?"

"Bucky, what's she talking about?" Steve asked confusion written all over his face. 

"Please, (Y/N), let me explain," Bucky begged as you started backing away from him.

Steve's face finally registered his shock when your words finally made sense to him. He looked from you to Bucky and back to you. He tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come out.

"I never want to see you again," you told him as you walked through the door. 

You found your way to the nearest bathroom and did your best to calm yourself down. You knew you couldn't just leave, your dad and the rest of the family would never understand. Your mind keep coming back to James. No, it wasn't James, it was Bucky. All this time, he knew who you were, but you had no clue who he was. You had stupidly confessed your deepest secret to him and what did he do? He lied to you. Steve had to have known all along. You thought back to the conversations where he tried to talk about Bucky. You could see now that he was trying to let you know that he knew, but you wouldn't listen. 

Your heart sank as you thought about Nat. Surely Steve had told her as well. You just knew that the three of them had been laughing at you this entire time. In love with the man your sister was marrying. How pathetic they must all think you were. The humiliation quickly turned to anger as you thought about your mother's dress. This was it. This was the final straw and you were done. You dried your eyes and cleaned up the smeared mascara before you went to find your sister.

"Nat, we need to talk, now," you demanded as you drug your sister away from the crowd of guests.

"Ow," she complained as she jerked her arm free of your grasp. "What's your problem?"

"The lies stop now," you informed her. "You tell him the truth or I will."

"No, you won't," she insisted. "You wouldn't hurt a fly and you definitely wouldn't hurt me, I'm your sister."

"That was yesterday," you corrected her. "Today you're just some bitch who broke my heart and cut up my mother's wedding dress."

"I can't tell him now," she hissed. "He'll call off the wedding."

"Maybe he should," you pondered. "Or maybe you both deserve each other. I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

You walked away and handed the original PowerPoint to the guy at the sound booth. You grabbed a mike and got everyone's attention. You could see Steve and Bucky in the back of the room, obviously in the middle of an argument. At this point, you didn't care. You didn't care about either of them and you surely didn't care about your sister.

You started your speech as the pictures began scrolling. You talked about how they met, how it was love at first sight. You started talking about all of the things they had in common. You could see Nat growing worried as she rushed to Steve's side desperately trying to pull his attention away from Bucky. The picture of Nat with the pizza came onto the screen as you acted shocked, one hand reaching up to grasp your chest. Steve's eyes narrowed as he looked at the picture. Nat was trying to lie, you could tell from the way she bit her lower lip. Steve pointed to the ring on her finger and then to the picture, pointing out that she was wearing it in the picture.

Right on cue, Phil came out from behind the partition, wearing his apron and carrying a duster. He grabbed a mike from the DJ and started telling everyone how Nat was helping him start his own cleaning business. You could see the anger building up in Steve as he realized that Nat had been lying to him all along, and using Phil to help her do it. She was crying, begging him not to walk away from her, but he brushed her off, heading toward the door. Bucky caught your eye, a sad look on his face. You quickly turned away, intent on enjoying this moment.

You were enjoying every second of it, right up until you caught your dad's eye. The look of hurt and confusion on his face had the guilt settling in again. You hadn't thought about him, how this would hurt him more than it hurt Nat. You turned off the mike and made your way to the back door, not able to meet the shocked glances of your family.

You had went home and cried yourself to sleep. The brief moment of satisfaction you felt at tearing Nat down, was long gone, replaced by guilt, humiliation, and sadness. You knew you would never be the same after tonight.

You woke early the next morning, and took a long, hot shower hoping it would help soothe your frazzled nerves. You thought about what you were going to do now. You obviously couldn't continue to work for Steve, not after last night. Needing something to do, you grabbed your purse and headed downstairs to catch a cab.

 

 

The office was dark, but it was Sunday, no one was there. You turned on just enough lights to illuminate your desk. You emptied a few boxes of copy paper in the supply room and took the boxes back to your desk. You had just finished packing the last box when the elevator dinged.

You looked up in surprise as Steve walked across the room. He looked like he hadn't slept at all last night, his hair was a mess, and he had a thin layer of stubble along his jaw.

"I went by your apartment," he told you. "I wasn't sure if you were out, or just avoiding me."

"I'm quitting," you told him.

He gestured toward the boxes. "I can see that. Were you going to give a notice?"

"I kinda did that last night," you grimaced.

"About that," he began.

"Please don't," you begged.

"I didn't know, (Y/N)," Steve admitted. "I didn't know you felt that way about me until last night."

"James didn't, I mean Bucky didn't tell you?" you asked him.

"No," he answered. "He told me that he had met you, how great you were, but he didn't tell me anything else. Obviously he didn't tell you everything either."

"Obviously," you agreed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "About how you felt? Why didn't you ever say anything?"

"I don't know, Steve," you admitted as you hung your head, staring at the floor. "I guess I was scared you wouldn't feel the same way about me."

"How did I miss that?" he wondered as he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. "All these years and I never saw what was right in front of me."

Your head shot up as you stared at him, wide eyed in shock. Was he saying what you thought he was saying? Steve walked toward you, his hand reaching out to cup your face as he drew you closer to him, his lips crashing down on yours.


	12. Chapter 12

Steve pulled away after a moment and looked at you. You gave him a questioning look in return.

"Maybe we should try that again," he suggested.

"Yeah," you agreed as you drew him back toward you.

The two of you spent a few awkward seconds trying to find the right angle, your noses bumping awkwardly. Finally giving up, you both pulled back with a grimace.

"Nothing?" he asked.

"Absolutely nothing," you confirmed.

Steve let go of you and took a step back, his hand raking through his already messy hair. "Well, that was awkward."

"I don't get it," you mused. "All these years, and that. . . that was. . ."

"The worst kiss you've ever had," Steve finished for you.

You started laughing. You couldn't help yourself. The irony of the entire situation had you doubling over, tears forming in your eyes as you continued to laugh. Steve looked at you like you were crazy for a moment, but he soon joined you, his right hand coming up to grab his chest as he threw his head back.

You fell back into your chair as you struggled to catch your breath. Steve sat on the corner of your desk, just like he always did. The two of you sat in silence for a moment as you thought about what to do next.

"Did he really not tell you anything?" you finally asked.

"(Y/N), I swear he never told me anything," he affirmed. "Did you really think I would be that cruel to you?"

"No," you quickly assured him. "I know you would never do that. I was just surprised and I let my anger get the best of me. You know that never turns out well."

"I had a really long talk with him after your enlightening PowerPoint," he told you.

"About that," you grimaced. "I'm so sorry. I really hate that Nat lied to you and I'm so sorry I didn't tell you sooner, and in a less public forum."

"It's not your fault," he assured you. "I rushed into that whole thing without really thinking it through. I don't know what I was thinking, marrying a girl I'd only known for a few weeks."

"Nat's not all bad," you told him. "She has a good heart, she just doesn't think things through before she acts."

"I guess I thought she was just like you," he admitted. "I'm probably to blame as well, expecting her to fit into the mold I'd made for her in my mind."

"I guess we both screwed up, didn't we?" you asked him as you shook your head.

"The question is, can we fix it?" he inquired.

"Do we want to fix it?" you answered with another question.

"Bucky really wanted to tell you the truth," he told you. "He didn't realize that first night that you didn't know who he was. I had told him I would tell you about him. . ."

"But I didn't let you," you interrupted him as you leaned forward, your head in your hands. "You tried to tell me so many times, he even tried to tell me. I can see it now, but I was so sure I knew what I was doing, so sure I knew what I wanted, that I just wouldn't listen."

"Eventually he missed the opportunity to come clean with you without you hating him," he explained. "He knew he was walking a fine line, but he just couldn't help himself."

"I get that, I really do," you acknowledged. "What I don't understand is why he ignored me all week long."

"Maybe you should have this conversation with him," Steve evaded.

"You know, don't you?" you accused him. "Tell me, please. I need to know so I can decide if I even want to talk to him again."

"Okay, okay," he agreed. "He told me he saw a picture of us in your bedroom and he started doubting himself."

Embarrassment washed over you at the thought of Steve knowing you kept a picture of him in your bedroom. "Oh. I forgot that was there. This whole situation is so screwed up."

"What are you going to do?" he asked. "Do you love him?"

You looked at Steve for a moment trying to answer the question for yourself first. "I do. Love him, that is. I finally admitted it myself last weekend, but I started doubting myself after. . .well, you know."

Steve looked embarrassed at your admission. "Yeah, he acted like a jerk after. . . that. None of us are blameless in this whole mess and we could have all stood to make some better choices."

"You're absolutely right," you agreed. "Maybe it's time for us to be honest with each other."

"You're going to forgive him?" he asked hopefully. 

"Will he forgive me?" you wondered.

"He will, I promise," he assured you as a grin spread across his face. "I knew the two of you would be perfect for each other."

"You wouldn't happen to know where he lives?" you jokingly asked.

Steve wrote Bucky's address on a post-it note for you and you rose to leave. "What about the boxes?"

"I'll unpack them tomorrow," you told him. "If that's okay with you?"

His hand came to your shoulder as he gave it a quick squeeze. "Don't be late."

"What about you?" you asked. "Are you going to forgive Nat?"

"I think I'm going to need to take some time before I make any more rash decisions," he admitted.

You gave him a nod of understanding and smiled before making your way to the elevator. You stared at the post-it in your hand the entire way down. Steve was certain that Bucky would forgive you, but you were still worried. You hailed a cab and opened the door once he pulled up to the curb.

"(Y/N)!" Clint exclaimed. "We're not heading to a wedding are we?"

You let out a soft chuckle at the coincidence. "Hello, Clint. No, there's no wedding, but I've kinda got my hopes up that one might be in my future."

You gave Clint Bucky's address as you filled him in on the situation. "Kid, you lead a crazy life, you know that?"

"Tell me about it!" you agreed as he pulled up to Bucky's apartment. 

You paid his fare, leaving him a generous tip and got out of the cab. You stood on the sidewalk staring up at the building before you. This was one of those moments you read about in books and see in the movies. It was one of those moments that would define the rest of your life. You took a deep breath as you walked up the steps to the front door. A young man with a large dog was exiting the building, his dog wildly pulling at the leash, so you were able to sneak into the building without buzzing Bucky.

You walked up the stairs to the second floor and found the door to his apartment. You hesitated for a moment before you raised your hand and knocked on the door. You heard something crash to the floor as the sound of footsteps grew louder. Bucky opened the door, his eyes widening in shock.

"Hi," you whispered.

"Hi," he replied.

"Can we have that talk now?" you asked, a hesitant smile on your face as he invited you in.

"I'm an idiot," he told you.

"And I'm a fool," you admitted. "Can you forgive me?"

"Forgive you?" he asked. "You did nothing wrong. I'm the one who needs to beg for your forgiveness."

"It's partly my fault," you confessed. "I was so stubborn and I wouldn't listen to you or Steve. If I had just shut up and let you two actually talk, we could have avoided all of this drama."

"I don't care about any of that," he assured you. "All I care about is that you're here and you're not yelling at me."

"I'm so sorry about yesterday," you apologized. "I should've given you a chance to explain. . ."

"I shouldn't have ignored you all week long," he interrupted. "I knew you were going to find out the truth on Saturday and I shouldn't have waited until the last minute. You didn't deserve to be blindsided like that. You'd never been anything but honest with me, and all I did was lie to you and make you feel horrible about yourself. I don't know how you could possibly forgive me, I'm having a hard time forgiving myself."

You waited for Bucky to stop talking before you grabbed his shirt and pulled him toward you. His shock wore off quickly as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you closer to him. You poured all of your emotions into that kiss, but you knew it wouldn't be enough.

You reluctantly pushed yourself away from him, moving away just enough to look into his eyes. "I love you, Bucky."

"I kinda like it when you call me James," he teased as you halfheartedly smacked his arm. "I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Seriously, though, I love you too, (Y/N)."

Bucky swept you into his arms, his lips finding yours again as he carried you toward his bedroom.


	13. Epilogue

1 Year Later

You sat on the slightly uncomfortable settee in Vandall's as you waited for Nat to come out of the dressing room.

"What's taking her so long?" Sharon whined from her seat beside you, boredom causing her to fidget in her seat. "Wasn't she able to change clothes in like 10 seconds when she was a model?"

You chuckled at the adorable 11 year old girl Nat had been matched with when she volunteered with the Big Sisters program eight months ago. "I think she's gotten a bit lazy in her old age, what do you think?"

Sharon erupted in a fit of giggles, loving it when you teased Natasha. "She's so old, they're probably going to put her in an exhibit at the Smithsonian!"

You wrapped your arm around the precocious blonde and pulled her in for a hug. "She'll definitely fit it there with all of the other fossils!"

"I can hear you, you know!" Nat yelled from behind the door of the dressing room.

"We know!" you and Sharon yelled back at the same time, erupting in another round of giggles.

Just then, Nat threw open the door and did her best runway strut across the room, pausing as she alighted onto the platform to give you her signature smirk before turning toward the mirror to get a good look at herself. "This is it. This is the dress. Don't you think so?"

"Nat, you look absolutely perfect!" you exclaimed as your hands rose to your face, your emotions choking you up a bit.

Sharon rose and walked toward the platform, running the fabric of the dress between her fingers. "You look like a fairy princess. Steve won't be able to take his eyes off of you."

You stifled a giggle as a blush colored the redhead's cheeks. "Steve won't. . . I mean he's not. . . He's probably moved on by now."

"No he hasn't," Sharon stated matter-of-factly. "Phil just told me the other day that Steve asked about you."

Nat's eyes grew large as Sharon clamped a hand over her mouth, realizing she'd said too much. 

You grabbed the little girl and began tickling her until she was breathless and tears were running down her cheeks. "Sharon Carter! I can't believe you've been holding out on us! Tell us everything."

Sharon looked at Nat a little sheepishly as she struggled to catch her breath. "There's not much to tell. Phil just said that Steve asked if Nat was bringing a date to (Y/N)'s wedding."

Nat looked at you in confusion. "Why didn't he just ask Bucky?"

"Probably because he knew Bucky would immediately tell me and then I'd tell you," you said as you gave her a wink. "Guess he didn't realize that we had our own little mini-spy keeping an ear to the ground."

"She's a little young to be a spy, don't you think?" Nat asked, a finger to her lips in contemplation.

"Maybe so," you agreed causing Sharon to erupt in a fit of giggles again. "But it won't be too long before the CIA comes knocking on her door."

As Nat went back into the dressing room to change out of her bridesmaids dress, Wanda came rushing through the door. "I'm so sorry I'm late! My lazy co-worker decided to take two weeks off to finish planning her wedding and my boss dumped all of her work on me!"

You rolled your eyes at your overdramatic friend and shooed her into a dressing room, her dress already hanging on the hook inside. "Tell Steve if he isn't nicer to you, I may not come back to work after the honeymoon!"

Nat came back out and sat on the settee with you and Sharon while you waited for Wanda to emerge from the dressing room. When she did, the three of you gave a collective gasp. She was absolutely stunning.

She walked to the platform in the middle of the room and did a few twirls before looking at you to gauge your reaction. "Are you sure you're okay with Nat and I having different dresses?"

You looked at Nat with a smile as the four of you started laughing all over again. "Trust me, if it's one thing I've learned over the past 27 weddings, it's that bridesmaids' dresses are the worst. As long as you and Nat are both wearing the same color, I don't care what style you choose. I want you to feel like the most beautiful woman there."

"Shouldn't you be the most beautiful woman at your own wedding?" Sharon asked, a bit confused.

"Oh, don't worry sweetie," you said as you tapped the end of her nose. "I will be the most beautiful woman there, I just want them to think that they are."

"Ok, girls," Nat announced, clapping her hands as she rose from the small couch. "As much fun as this was, Sharon has ballet practice in 20 minutes, so we need to get going."

Sharon gave you and Wanda a hug goodbye before she and Nat left the shop, hand in hand. Wanda walked up to you and gave you a hug.

"What's this for?" you asked as you embraced your friend. 

She pulled away to look at you without releasing her hold. "For being you. Most women would have never forgiven their sister for doing what she did, but not you. You took her in, helped her find a job, got her involved with the Big Sister program, and now look at her! If it weren't for you, Nat wouldn't be the woman she is today."

You brushed off her remarks with a shake of your head. "Nat was always a wonderful person, she just needed a little push. Which reminds me, you missed it when Sharon spilled the beans about Steve asking if Nat was bringing a date to the wedding."

"No!" she exclaimed. "It has been a year, and neither of them have been seeing anyone. Do you think?"

"We can only hope!"

 

 

You stood in front of the mirror, smoothing the fabric of your gown down around your hips. It wasn't the dress you'd always thought you'd wear on this day, but you weren't living in a fantasy anymore. This wasn't a dream you were going to wake up from this time. It was a dream come true, however. You were finally getting your perfect day and you couldn't be happier. In a few minutes you were going to walk down that aisle and the love of your life would be there waiting for you. He would always be there waiting for you.

Your dad came in to let you know that they were ready for you. You grabbed your bouquet and looped your arm through his as he led you toward your future. Sharon and Phil had just finished walking down the aisle as your flower girl and ring bearer. Wanda and Nat were just ahead of you, taking their turns down the aisle. You could see the way Steve watched your sister and you had a feeling that tonight might be the night the two of them finally admitted they couldn't live without one another. This time, at least, they'd be going in with their eyes open, so they might have a chance of making it work.

Nat moved from the aisle to take her place beside Wanda as Adele's Sweetest Devotion began playing, and your eyes met Bucky's for the first time. You didn't care how many times you saw him, he still took your breath away. The way those blue-grey eyes lit up when he saw you still gave you butterflies. You had wondered if he would be nervous, but he was standing there, calmly waiting for you to make your way to him, the smile on his face causing his eyes to crinkle at the edges which you found adorable. Your dad kissed your cheek before he turned to take his seat. 

You turned to hand Nat your bouquet and took a moment to look at your bridesmaids. To say they were an eclectic group was an understatement. Out of the 29 women that stood beside you, only Nat and Wanda were in the same color dress. Brides always tell their bridesmaids that they can wear the dresses again, so you put that to the test, insisting that each of the girls wear the dress you'd worn in their weddings. You gave them a wink as you turned back to Bucky, finally feeling like you were home.

The pastor began reciting the words you'd heard so many times in the past, but today they held a different meaning for you. He talked of love being patient and kind, bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, enduring all things. He spoke of faith, hope, and love; love being the greatest of all of these things. Truer words had never been spoken before. You and Bucky had had a rocky start to your relationship, but love had forged a bond between you that would never be broken.


End file.
